Having Down syndrome also increases the risk of developing
Alzheimer’s disease
. Other problems. Down syndrome may also be associated with other health conditions, including endocrine problems, dental problems, seizures, ear infections, and hearing and vision problems.
Do all Down syndrome babies have health problems?
In addition to intellectual and developmental disabilities, children with Down syndrome are
at an increased risk for certain health problems
. However, each individual with Down syndrome is different, and not every person will have serious health problems.
What are the long term effects of Down syndrome?
Long-term (chronic)
constipation problems
.
Sleep apnea
(because the mouth, throat, and airway are narrowed in children with Down syndrome) Teeth that appear later than normal and in a location that may cause problems with chewing. Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism)
How does Down syndrome affect a baby?
Down syndrome is a genetic condition that happens when a
child is born with an extra chromosome
. The extra chromosome affects the way the child’s brain and body develop, leading to developmental delays, intellectual disability and an increased risk for certain medical issues.
What is the most common genetic abnormality in a Down syndrome baby?
Trisomy 21
is the most common chromosomal anomaly in humans, affecting about 5,000 babies born each year and more than 350,000 people in the United States. Also known as Down syndrome, trisomy 21 is a genetic condition caused by an extra chromosome.
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.
What are the symptoms of Down syndrome in pregnancy?
- Flat face with an upward slant to the eyes.
- Short neck.
- Abnormally shaped or small ears.
- Protruding tongue.
- Small head.
- Deep crease in the palm of the hand with relatively short fingers.
- White spots in the iris of the eye.
- Poor muscle tone, loose ligaments, excessive flexibility.
What problems can Down syndrome cause?
- Heart defects. About half the children with Down syndrome are born with some type of congenital heart defect. …
- Gastrointestinal (GI) defects. …
- Immune disorders. …
- Sleep apnea. …
- Obesity. …
- Spinal problems. …
- Leukemia. …
- Dementia.
How many years do Down syndrome live?
Jul 21, 2021. Over 6,000 babies are born with Down syndrome in the United States each year. As recently as 1983, a person with Down syndrome lived to be only 25 years old on average. Today, the average life expectancy of a person with Down syndrome is
nearly 60 years
and continuing to climb.
Are Down syndrome people more likely to get sick?
Infections
.
Respiratory infections
are more common among people with Down syndrome, especially during the first five years of life. Infections of the skin and the bladder also tend to be common.
Can Down syndrome be cured during pregnancy?
The extra chromosome can’t be removed from cells, so
there’s no cure for the condition
. The chromosomes divide incorrectly by accident, not because of anything the parents have done. Although the chance of having a child with Down syndrome increases with the age of the mother, anyone can have a baby with Down syndrome.
What are the odds of having a baby with Down syndrome?
The chance of having a child with Down syndrome increases over time. The risk is
about 1 in 1,250 for a woman who conceives at age 25
. It increases to about 1 in 100 for a woman who conceives at age 40. The risks may be higher.
Is Down syndrome physical or mental?
Down syndrome, the most common chromosome-related genetic condition in the U.S., affects development of the brain and body. People with Down syndrome
face physical and mental challenges
, but can lead full and happy lives.
Do Down syndrome babies look different at birth?
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.
Who is most likely to get Downs?
Causes and Risk Factors
One factor that increases the risk for having a baby with Down syndrome is the mother’s age. Women who are
35 years or older when they become pregnant
are more likely to have a pregnancy affected by Down syndrome than women who become pregnant at a younger age.
Can you tell if a baby has Down syndrome in an ultrasound?
An
ultrasound can detect fluid at the back of a fetus’s neck
, which sometimes indicates Down syndrome. The ultrasound test is called measurement of nuchal translucency.
