What Are The Challenges Of Down Syndrome?

• Hearing and vision weakness.
• Fine motor skill impairment due to low muscle tone.
• Weak auditory memory.
• Short attention span and distractibility.
• Sequencing difficulties.

What limitations does a person with Down syndrome have?

Hearing problems , probably caused by repeated ear infections. Hip problems and risk of dislocation. Long-term (chronic) constipation problems. Sleep apnea (because the mouth, throat, and airway are narrowed in children with Down syndrome)

What are the challenges of raising a child with Down syndrome?

It's common for parents of babies with Down syndrome to experience shock, sadness and fear over the unknowns of raising a child who has intellectual and developmental disabilities. Serious health problems can add to the panic; about half of all children born with Down syndrome have heart defects.

What 5 challenges would you face if your baby was born with Down syndrome?

Other medical conditions that may happen more frequently in kids with DS include thyroid problems, stomach and intestinal problems , seizure disorders, breathing problems, including sleep apnea and asthma, obesity, an increased chance of infections, and a higher risk of childhood leukemia.

What are some specific challenges a person with Down syndrome may need to overcome?

• Feeding. Feeding an infant or child with Down Syndrome can be challenging as most have some degree of low muscle tone or hypotonia, which affects all muscles in the body, including those of the mouth, tongue and face. ...
• Speech and language. ...
• Hearing.

Can a Down syndrome child look normal?

People with Down syndrome all look the same . There are certain physical characteristics that can occur. People with Down syndrome can have all of them or none. A person with Down syndrome will always look more like his or her close family than someone else with the condition.

How do you calm down a child with Down syndrome?

1. Give your child chores around the house. ...
2. Have your child play with other kids who do and don't have Down syndrome.
3. Keep your expectations high as your child tries and learns new things.
4. Make time to play, read, have fun, and go out together.
5. Support your child in doing day-to-day tasks on their own.

Does Down syndrome get worse with age?

Adults with Down syndrome experience “accelerated aging,” meaning they will age faster than the general population . It is expected that adults with Down syndrome will show physical, medical, and cognitive signs of aging much earlier than what is expected for their age.

How many years do Down syndrome live?

The life expectancy of people with Down syndrome increased dramatically between 1960 and 2007. In 1960, on average, persons with Down syndrome lived to be about 10 years old. In 2007, on average, persons with Down syndrome lived to be about 47 years old .

What is the mental age of Down syndrome?

The average IQ of a young adult with Down syndrome is 50, equivalent to the mental ability of an eight- or nine-year-old child , but this can vary widely. The parents of the affected individual are usually genetically normal.

What are the behavioral symptoms of Down syndrome?

• Delays in speech and language development.
• Attention problems.
• Sleep difficulties.
• Stubbornness and tantrums.
• Delays in cognition.
• Delayed toilet training.

How do Down syndrome babies act?

At birth, babies with Down syndrome are often the same size as other babies, but they tend to grow more slowly . Because they often have less muscle tone, they may seem floppy and have trouble holding their heads up, but this usually gets better with time.

Can two parents with Down syndrome have a normal baby?

Any couple can have a baby with Down's syndrome , but it is well known that older women are more likely to have a baby with the condition than younger women.

What are the 3 types of Down syndrome?

• Trisomy 21. This is by far the most common type, where every cell in the body has three copies of chromosome 21 instead of two.
• Translocation Down syndrome. In this type, each cell has part of an extra chromosome 21, or an entirely extra one. ...
• Mosaic Down syndrome.

What body system is affected by Down syndrome?

Down syndrome is a genetic disorder that can affect many different parts of the body. An extra part or whole Chromosome 21 is the cause of Down syndrome. It is the most common chromosomal abnormality. This syndrome can affect the heart, the brain, the hormone system and the skeleton .

How does Down syndrome affect day to day life?

Kids with Down syndrome usually have trouble learning and are slower to learn how to talk and take care of themselves. But despite their challenges, kids with Down syndrome can go to regular schools, make friends, enjoy life, and get jobs when they're older.