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Down Syndrome Treatment There is no way to prevent or cure Down syndrome. But through education, support groups and the right team of health care providers, a child with Down syndrome can go on to ...
Adults with Down syndrome often develop chronic health problems, such as severe sleep apnea, digestive disorders, thyroid conditions, and obesity. Many develop Alzheimer’s disease in middle age.
Down syndrome or Down's syndrome, [12] also known as trisomy 21, is a genetic disorder caused by the presence of all or part of a third copy of chromosome 21. [3] It is usually associated with developmental delays, mild to moderate intellectual disability , and characteristic physical features.
The first symptoms are often mistakenly attributed to aging or stress. [34] Detailed neuropsychological testing can reveal mild cognitive difficulties up to eight years before a person fulfills the clinical criteria for diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. [35] These early symptoms can affect the most complex activities of daily living. [36]
Treatment is supportive. [2] After having one child with the condition, the risk of having a second is typically around one percent. [2] It is the second-most common condition due to a third chromosome at birth, after Down syndrome for a third chromosome 21. [4] Trisomy 18 occurs in around 1 in 5,000 live births. [3]
Research has found that there is a correlation between advanced paternal age and risk of birth defects such as limb anomalies, syndromes involving multiple systems, and Down syndrome. [74] [35] [93] Recent studies have concluded that 5-9% of Down syndrome cases are due to paternal effects, but these findings are controversial. [74] [75] [35] [94]
Research of Down syndrome–related genes is based on studying the genes located on chromosome 21. In general, this leads to an overexpression of the genes. [1] [2] Understanding the genes involved may help to target medical treatment to individuals with Down syndrome. It is estimated that chromosome 21 contains 200 to 250 genes. [3]
A delay in tooth development may also serve as an indication, whereby the absence of an adult successor slows down the normal resorption of the roots of the baby teeth, which is the progressive loss of parts of the tooth. Misplaced (ectopic) positioning of the adult teeth may be discovered upon examination or a radiograph.