Down syndrome pictures

What is Down Syndrome?

It is a chromosomal condition characterized by distinct facial appearance, intellectual disability, and weak muscle tone.

People with Down syndrome have intellectual disability that is mild to moderate in nature. People with Down syndrome may have birth defects such as cardiac-related problems and digestive abnormalities.

Those with Down syndrome are high risk for various types of medical conditions such as GERD and underactive thyroid gland. ^{(1, 2, and 3)}

picture 1: An example of one of the images of newborn babies with Down syndrome.

image source: i.ytimg.com

picture 2: Typical characteristics of a person with Down syndrome.

photo source: images.slideplayer.com

Types of Down syndrome

• Trisomy 21

It is the most common form of Down syndrome. The patient has an extra copy of chromosome 21 in the cell.

• Mosaicism

The patient is born with an extra chromosome in some of their cells. It tends to have fewer symptoms than trisomy 21. ^{(2, 3)}

• Translocation

The patient has only an extra part of the chromosome 21. ⁽⁴⁾

picture 3: It shows pictures of people with Down syndrome who are already in their adulthood.

image source: downsyndromeawareness.files.wordpress.com

picture 4: The image shows a kid with a Down syndrome.

photo source: lifenews.com

Down syndrome Causes

It is caused by a problem in a person’s chromosomes. A normal person has a total of 46 chromosomes. People with Down syndrome have excess chromosomes, which is 47. An extra chromosome can alter the normal development of the brain and body. The exact cause of problems in chromosomes is still unknown. There are things that could increase the possibility of having Down syndrome. They are the following:

• Late pregnancy (35 years old and above).
• If someone in your family has Down syndrome. ^{(4, 5)}

Clinical Manifestations

picture 5: The image shows three kids with Down syndrome. The ears ad mouth are obviously small. The eyes are slant and the face is flat.

image source: themighty.com

• The patient has short neck, arms, and legs.
• The patient has distinct facial features. The ears and mouth are small. The eyes are slanting and the face is flat.
• The joints are loose and the muscle tone is low.
• The level of intelligence is below average. ⁽⁶⁾

Diagnosis

If you have a family history of Down syndrome, your doctor will suggest that you undergo tests during pregnancy to find out if the baby inside your womb has Down syndrome. Down syndrome screening tests include the following:

• A blood test during the first and second trimester.
• Ultrasound in the first and second trimester.
• Amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling.
• There are instances when the baby can only be diagnosed after birth. The doctor will diagnose Down syndrome based on the physical characteristics of the baby. The doctor will test the baby’s blood and it would usually take two to three weeks to get the results. ^{(6, 7, and 8)}

image 6: An example down syndrome sonogram pictures. It shows pictures of Down syndrome babies in the womb.

photo source: noahsdad.com

picture 7: Prenatal testing: Chorionic villous biopsy and amniocentesis.

image source: newcastle-hospitals.org.uk

Down syndrome Treatment

There is no cure for Down syndrome. The goal of the treatment is to improve the quality of life and help the patients live well as they transitioned to adulthood. People with Down syndrome can benefit from physical therapy to improve motor skills, occupational therapy, and speech therapy. Medical conditions caused by Down syndrome can be corrected and managed such as eye problem, thyroid problem, hearing difficulty, and seizure disorder. There are supplements that can improve the overall health of people with Down syndrome such as amino acid supplements. ^{(1, 2, 3, and 4)}

picture 8: One of the therapeutic approach used in patients with Down syndrome.

image source: nature.com

picture 9: A boy with Down syndrome in speech therapy.

photo source: speechbuddy.com

References

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Down_syndrome
2. https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/down-syndrome
3. https://www.webmd.com/children/tc/down-syndrome-topic-overview
4. http://www.ndss.org/about-down-syndrome/down-syndrome/
5. http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/down-syndrome.html
6. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/145554.php
7. https://www.medicinenet.com/down_syndrome_overview/article.htm
8. http://americanpregnancy.org/birth-defects/down-syndrome/