A Journey Into Down Syndrome Have you ever wanted to know what Down syndrome is? I was the same way until I hit the 4th grade. I was sitting at my lunch table like usual, and the new kid sat by me. He looked a tad different than other children and I tried having a conversation with him, but he wouldn’t talk to me. That day, I went home and asked my mom about this new kid, and that’s when I found out what it was. What is Down Syndrome? In each of the cells of a human body, there is a nucleus. In the nucleus, genetic material is stored. These genes carry things called chromosomes. In an average human body, there are 23 chromosomes. If someone has Down Syndrome, they will have only 21 chromosomes. This causes average human traits to be genetically altered. Down Syndrome, also known as Trisomy 21, is one of the most common abnormalities of chromosome in humans and occurs in 1000 babies a year. Doctors still can not figure out why and how these problems occur. Down Syndrome develops sometime during the nine months of pregnancy. Someone with Down Syndrome will always be born with it because t is not something that develops over a period of time. People with Down Syndrome seem to slowly decline in their rate of thinking starting around age 50. History of Down Syndrome In the year of 1866, a British doctor by the name of John Langdon Down, described Down Syndrome as “Mongolism.” In 1959,
French Genetics, professor Jerome Lejeune found that people with Down Sndrome have more Chromosomes. One year later, NADS was founded was founded by Kay McGee in Chicago after her daughter was born with Down syndrome. The National Association of Down Syndrome also known as NADS is is one of the oldest associations of the United States. Shortly after, “Mongolism” was now Down Syndrome. in the early twentieth century, many young children were taken away from families and placed in institutions. Sad right! families let their own children be taken away. These children were locked up in “warehouses” and locked away from society so that the people would not see their horrible lives. Characteristic of Down Syndrome Children with Down Syndrome often have physical differences. These can include low muscle tone, small stature, a single crease along the middle of the palm, and upward slanted eyes, flatter faces, smaller noses, small skin folds on the inner corner of the eyes, smaller, more flat ears, hyper-flexibility and a bigger space between their big toe
and their second toe. Down syndrome can also include mental disorders like, lack of social abilities, heart defects, heart failure, and infants may have echocardiogram within the first few months of their life. Down syndrome Down syndrome can also cause more of a chance of getting Alzheimer's disease. Almost half of adults born with down syndrome develop Alzheimer’s disease. Down syndrome can also cause Thyroid disease. Thyroid disease is the slowing of the Thyroid gland. Almost half of people born with down syndrome have problems with vision. This includes nearsightedness, farsightedness, cross -eyed, or cataracts. Down syndrome can also cause Leukemia. How Does Down Syndrome Affect The World? Down Syndrome is a disease fund all over the world. It is well known because the National Down Syndrome Society. Also because of National Down Syndrome day. National Down Syndrome day is a global event that happen on March 21. It is a day that symbolizes the third copy of the twenty first chromosome that people with down syndrome have to deal with. This day brings families and communities together On social media, people with down syndrome share their stories and spread the word and inspires others with down syndrome to tell their stories online. Approximately 6,000 babies are born with down syndrome in the United States. This means for every 691 births, a baby is born
with this disease. Down syndrome also can affect families. These families also write autobiographies to teach or to let others know the life of a kid with down syndrome and how that affects their families. This also helps families know what to do if they get in a stump or have other problems with their family member with down syndrome if they read these books. Scientists have been studying on how people with with down syndrome affects families. The studies say that people with someone in their family with down syndrome, that family faces many challenges and hardships throughout their life. Bibliography: "Down Syndrome." Genetics Home Reference. Lister Hill "Down Syndrome in Children Directory: Find News, Features, and Pictures Related to Down Syndrome in Children." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 06 Nov. 2015. "Down Syndrome." KidsHealth - the Web's Most Visited Site about Children's Health. Ed. Mary L. Gavin. The Nemours Foundation, 01 Sept. 2015. Web. 06 Nov. "History of NADS." National Association for Down Syndrome. National Association of Down Syndrome, n.d. Web. 06 Nov. 2015. "What Is Down Syndrome?" - National Down Syndrome Soci ety. National Down Syndrome Society, n.d. Web. 06 Nov. 2015.