Some facts about Down syndrome
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Down syndrome occurs in 1 in 800 births.
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John Langdon Down, an English physician, was the first to recognize
the cluster of traits common in people with what is now known as Down
syndrome. He published his findings in 1866.
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"Down" or 'Downs"? In 1975, the United States National Institutes of
Health convened a conference to standardize the name of
malformations. They recommended eliminating the possessive form:
“The possessive use of an eponym should be discontinued, since the
author neither had nor owned the disorder.” John Langdon Down first
described it in 1866, but he neither had it, nor "owned" the syndrome so
it should not take on the possessive form of Down's syndrome. (An
example of possessiveness is ALS is also known as Lou Gehrig's
disease, because he had the disease.).
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In 1959 Dr. Jeremy Lejeune discovered the fact that all people with this
syndrome had an extra 21st chromosome.
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30% - 50% of the individuals with Down syndrome have heart defects
and 8% - 12% have gastrointestinal tract abnormalities present at birth.
Most of these defects are now correctable by surgery.
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Down syndrome is not related to race, nationality, religion or
socio-economic status.
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Rather than saying “Down syndrome baby/child” say “A baby/child with
Down syndrome". This values the person before the syndrome.
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The "s" on syndrome is not capitalized.
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Down syndrome is not an illness. A person either has Down syndrome
or they do not. Having Down syndrome does not mean the person is
sick. It is wrong to refer to people with Down syndrome as "afflicted
with" or "suffering from" it.
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Down syndrome is not a condition that can be cured. However, early
intervention can help many people with Down syndrome live productive
lives well into adulthood.
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There are three types of Down syndrome. The most common type is
caused by an error in cell division which results in 3 number 21
chromosomes instead of the usual two. Hence, the other name for this
genetic disorder, Trisomy 21. The other two types of this disorder are
Mosaic and Translocation Down syndrome. It is very important to
remember that Down syndrome is not caused by anything the mother
did or did not do before or during the pregnancy.
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