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Down syndrome

Approximately 220,000 babies are born with down syndrome every year. That is 1 in every 800 babies. A average person is born with 23 pairing or 46 total chromosomes. A person born with down syndrome usually has 47 chromosomes. When down syndrome occurs the reason is because of an extra copy of the 21st chromosome in every cell. In medical terms “trisomy” refers to having an extra copy of a chromosome. The proper name for down syndrome is Trisomy 21 because of the extra copy of the 21st chromosome ("Facts about Down Syndrome”). Mosaicism occurs when a child is born with an extra chromosome in some but not all of their cells. Mosaicism normally has less severe symptoms than trisomy 21. Translocation down syndrome occurs …show more content…
Dscam protein allows brain cells to communicate with one another. In down syndrome there is an extra dscam protein. “The dscam protein messes up the inner connections between brain cells and other brain cells” (“Brain development in down syndrome”). This plays a big role with learning difficulties in down syndrome. For example say you had down syndrome and you were in a crowded room and someone yells out Landon but to you you hear Brandon, this is an effect of the lack of communication between brain cells. The brain can not understand it it's like something is blocking the path way that there is no way around. Physical features of a child with down syndrome are almond shaped eyes, flattened back of head , flattened bridge of nose ,swollen tongue, thick skin on neck and back, short and heavy set, small ears placed lower on head, and smaller mouth. It is often very easy to tell if someone has down syndrome by only their physical …show more content…
When a child has down syndrome there is a numerous things that can occur in the first few years of life. For the first four years of a child's life born with down syndrome the medical care cost is 12 times higher on average than a child born without down syndrome (“Data and Statistics”). It can be very hard for families with a child who has down syndrome, children with down syndrome have to undergo surgeries and classes to help them with physical activities and balance. For parents or family of a child with down syndrome it can be extremely frustrating, not being able to explain things or make your child understand things and knowing there is nothing you can do to make it better would be extremely difficult for a parent. From personal experiences with kids with down syndrome I can see how frustrating it is for the child and the family and how it makes things a little less convenient. How severe the symptoms of down syndrome can vary there are some very high functioning groups that can eventually live on there own and have a career but that is very rare in children with down syndrome. The person that I know is considered high functioning, but if I had to say at what age level he is operating at it would be two to four years old. It is a complication having a child with down syndrome because they can not live on there own or be by themselves in most cases this leaves the parent always having to find someone to care for the

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