There are many diseases that are passed genetically and Down’s syndrome is one of them. The disease causes some form of physical and mental imbalance and happens due to the presence of faulty gene.

The person who gets infected with this syndrome has one extra copy of a chromosome, which is the chromosome 21. With just one extra chromosome the whole tuning of the body gets disturbed and a child is born with the Down’s syndrome. The people suffering from Down syndrome have peculiar physical features. The actual cause of the abnormality, however, is still not known.

Down’s Syndrome Types

Every year more than 1,000 babies are born with this defect. The main cause of learning disability in most cases is the Down’s syndrome. The syndrome is of three types. The most common syndrome is the Regular trisomy 21. In this form of Down syndrome all thecells have an extra copy of the chromosome 21.

The second type is the Translocation. In this case the extra chromosome 21 is present with a different chromosome which has been inherited from any one of the parent but the parent was never aware of it as the syndrome did not show its effect then. The third type is the mosaic where only few cells have the extra chromosome 21. Only 2% people suffer from this type and the syndrome’s intensity is also less.

Down’s Syndrome Symptoms

People suffering from Down syndrome usually have a facial profile, which is flat, and the eyes tend to slant in an upward direction. They have small ears, the back part of the head is flat as well as their tongue have the tendency of protruding. They do not have a good height, as the muscles are very weak and poor. Their hands are broad and short and generally have a single crease in the palm.

They also suffer from some sort of heart defects most of which cannot be treated. They have problem with the thyroid gland and also have some eating difficulties. They generally suffer from vision and hearing problems. They are also prone to various type of eye infection. They also have a learning disability, which might take a severe turn.

Down’s Syndrome Treatment

Till date there is no cure for Down syndrome. The doctors only treat them as they suffer from various health problems. They are also given enough support for their difficulties in learning and this gives them some scope to start living life somewhat independently. People with severe disability need support and care through out their lifetime.

If they are given enough support and guidance they can live well till the age of 60. As their tongue tends to protrude outside they have some speech difficulty and thus have to taken regularly to a speech therapist. Visit to the physiotherapist is also necessary as their muscles are quite weak and poor. If given proper care and support they tend to live quite comfortably.

If the age of the mother is more than 35 years then the newborn baby has greater chance of suffering from Down syndrome. This however is not medically proven and women becoming mother at much younger also have babies suffering from the syndrome. If there are members in the family who are suffering from the syndrome then the baby runs a greater risk of being born with the syndrome.

If couples have a baby who is suffering from the syndrome then there are greater chances that the second child will also be born with the same syndrome. But it has been seen that if neither of the parents suffer from the syndrome the chances of the syndrome recurring in another pregnancy is less. The syndrome does not affect any particular group or sect.

As Down's syndrome is an abnormality, which occurs due to some genetic disorder, it becomes impossible to prevent the syndrome. But with the advancement in the field of medicine it has become possible to identify the babies who run the risk much before they are born.

With the help of some specific blood test some specific substances that are present in the blood are measured. The results of the blood are then matched with the age of the expectant mother, which gives the doctors a specific idea of the condition of the unborn baby.

The condition of the baby can also be known with the help of ultrasound scanning where the doctor can measure the spinal cord’s width near the neck portion. Both the tests are quite vital and the parents should not hesitate to undergo the tests. If the results of the tests indicate that the baby has chances of suffering from the syndrome then the mother has full freedom to decide whether to continue with the pregnancy or not.