What is Down Syndrome?

Down syndrome is a chromosomal disorder that affects one in every 800 live births. It is one of the leading clinical causes of intellectual disability in the world. Individuals with Down syndrome are at higher risk for medical problems and language delays. Quality educational programs, along with a stimulating home environment and good medical care, enable individuals with Down syndrome to become contributing members of their families and communities.

People with Down syndrome are first and foremost human beings who have recognizable physical characteristics and limited intellectual endowment which are due to the presence of an extra chromosome 21.

Children with Down syndrome are usually smaller, and their physical and mental developments are slower than youngsters who do not have Down syndrome. The majority of children with Down syndrome function in the mild to moderate range of intellectual range. However, some children are not mentally retarded at all; they may function in the borderline to low average range; others may be severely mentally retarded. There is a wide variation in mental abilities and developmental progress in children with Down syndrome. Also, their motor development is slow; and instead of walking by 12 to 14 months as other children do, children with Down syndrome usually learn to walk between 15 to 36 months. Language development is also markedly delayed.

For More Information:

• National Down Syndrome Society
• National Down Syndrome Congress
• Wikipedia Article on Down Syndrome
• Down Syndrome Article for Parents by Nemours Foundation
• Down Syndrome Article for Kids by Nemours Foundation
• Down Syndrome Social Network
• Down Syndrome Information from the U.S. National Library of Medicine & the National Institutes of Health