What are the Symptoms of Down Syndrome?
People with Down syndrome have very distinct facial features: a flat face, a small broad nose, abnormally shaped ears, a large tongue, and upward slanting eyes with small folds of skin in the corners. People with Down syndrome have an increased risk of developing a number of medically significant problems: respiratory infections, gastrointestinal tract obstruction (blocked digestive tract), leukemia, heart defects, hearing loss, hypothyroidism, and various eye abnormalities. They also exhibit moderate to severe mental retardation; children with Down syndrome usually develop more slowly than their peers, and have trouble learning to walk, talk, and take care of themselves. Because of these medical problems most people with Down syndrome have a decreased life expectancy. About half live to be 50 years of age.
Babies born with Down syndrome often have medical complications such as heart defects and abdominal disorders. They also often suffer eyesight and hearing impairments from frequent ear infections, perhaps due to a less effective immune system. With early medical diagnosis and intervention, many of these complications can be treated. Also, not all children with Down syndrome exhibit all of these symptoms, and some children experience almost no complications. Babies with Down syndrome are often identified shortly after birth because they may have several of the physical characteristics associated with the syndrome. However, some children show a few characteristics while others show many. Because of this, and because some of these features can also be seen in people without Down syndrome, genetic testing is necessary in order to confirm diagnosis. The most common physical features associated with Down syndrome include: Low muscle tone (babies often appear “floppy”) An upward slant to the
People who have Down syndrome have learning difficulties, mental retardation, a characteristic facial appearance, and poor muscle tone (hypotonia) in infancy. Individuals with Down syndrome also have an increased risk for having heart defects, digestive problems such as gastroesophageal reflux or celiac disease, and hearing loss. Some people who have Down syndrome have low activity of the thyroid gland (hypothyroidism) – an organ in the lower neck that produces hormones.
