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The World Of Humans
Making “Down Syndrome” “Up Syndrome”
By Suhashini Silva
Down syndrome is a ge“I am a human,
netic disorder which is caused
just like you.
when abnormal cell division results in extra genetic material
Only different in
from chromosome 21+ Down
a special way”
Syndrome is a disease which
slows down a child’s development both mentally and
physically affecting the overall health and quality of the victim’s for life+
This disease was founded by John Langdon Down in 1866+
“Every
life has
a
value.”
Down Syndrome is a relatively little known disease but a
significant number of children both in Sri Lanka and abroad are born with
this disease+ Approximately 1 in each 800 babies in USA are born with
this disease+
(www+rightsdiadnosis+com)
The extra chromosome 21 leads to
the physical features and developmental challenges that can occur
among people with Down syndrome+ The major signs and symptoms that could be observed in
these patients are,
Flattened facial features
Small head
Short neck
Protruding tongue
Upward slanting eyes
Unusually shaped or small ears
Poor muscle tone
Broad, short hands with a single
crease in the palm
Relatively short
fingers and small
hands and feet
Short height
Also, these patients
are at a higher risk of
getting many musculoskeletal problems, out of which
problems related to the spine are more common+ Also,
most children with this disease have reduced muscle
tone and low birth weight+ They are also prone to a range
of complications such as heart disorders, bowel and digestive problems, poor vision, poor hearing, thyroid dysfunction and blood disorders+