Describe the Down syndrome. Exists a spectrum of Down syndrome? What variations of Down syndrome are there? Find out the answers in the following article.
Exists a spectrum of Down syndrome? Find out the most important information in the following lines.
Degrees of Down syndrome: do they exist?
Down syndrome is a genetic disorder that affects both physical development and growth. An extra chromosome is present at birth in people with Down syndrome. Bundles of genes make up chromosomes. In Down syndrome, this extra chromosome leads to a range of problems that affect the sufferer mentally and physically.
It should be noted that while there are different types of Down syndrome that contribute to the variation in Down syndrome degrees, there are no so-called degrees of Down syndrome. The most common types of Down syndrome include the following:
1. Trisomy 21
Trisomy 21, which results from abnormal cell division during the development of the sperm cell or egg cell, accounts for 95% of cases of Down syndrome and is the cause of the child having three copies of chromosome 21 instead of the normal two copies in all cells.
2. Mosaicism
In this rare form of Down syndrome, a person has only some cells that contain extra copies of chromosome 21. After fertilisation, abnormal cell division results in a mosaic of normal and abnormal cells.
3. Down Syndrome Translocation
When a portion of chromosome 21 connects to another chromosome that has been moved either before or during pregnancy, it can lead to the development of down syndrome. These children with Down syndrome have the usual two copies of chromosome 21, but they also have extra genetic material from chromosome 21 attached to another chromosome.
Down syndrome symptoms
The following are some of the most noticeable signs of Down syndrome, which are necessary to understand after learning the truth about the existence of different degrees of the condition:
- symptoms of a Down syndrome-carrying foetus during pregnancy
There are no symptoms of carrying a child with Down syndrome, but the likelihood of conceiving one can be estimated through examination during pregnancy.
- Symptoms of Down syndrome in children
At birth, an infant with Down syndrome may be born of an average size, but it develops more slowly than a child without the condition. Children with Down syndrome typically exhibit a few telltale symptoms, such as:
- Flat facial features.
- Small head and small ears.
- Short neck.
- swelling of the tongue
- Eyes that tend upward.
- muscle weakness
- Down syndrome patients' behavioural, psychological, and mental health symptoms
People with Down syndrome usually have some degree of developmental disability, but it is often mild to moderate. A child who experiences delays in mental and social development may:
- impulsive behaviour.
- Difficulty making a decision.
- short attention span
- Slow learning abilities.
- Down syndrome patients' health complications' symptoms
Medical issues are frequently present in people with down syndrome and may include the following:
- Congenital heart defects.
- hearing loss _
- Poor sight.
- eye lens darkening.
- leukemia _
- chronic constipation
- Sleep Apnea.
- dementia and problems with thinking and memory.
- Hypothyroidism.
- Obesity .
- Delayed tooth growth, causing chewing problems.
- Frequent and easy infection of respiratory infections, urinary tract infections , and skin infections.
Down syndrome treatment
After learning the most crucial details about the various degrees and types of Down syndrome, it's critical to understand that there is no single treatment for the condition, but rather a wide range of physical and developmental interventions intended to help those who have Down syndrome meet their needs. The following are some treatment options:
- Physical, occupational and speech therapy.
- Specialized education services.
- Social and recreational activities.
- Programs that provide job training and teach self-care skills.