Children and adults with Down syndrome experience all the same emotions everyone experiences, both good and bad. They also experience mental health disorders including depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and others.
In people with Down syndrome, it is more common for a traumatic experience to cause OCD, anxiety, or PTSD. Further, it has been suggested that individuals with Down syndrome may experience all sorts of memories, perhaps particularly traumatic ones, as if they are happening in the present moment.
They often have mild to moderate intellectual disability and may have specific challenges with attention span, verbal memory, and expressive communication. Behavioral problems such as stubbornness, impulsivity, and temper tantrums may be more common in children with Down syndrome.
Children with Down syndrome frequently display repetitive behavior including unusual routines, rituals, and stereotypy.
Progressive changes that might suggest early-stage AD include loss of language, behaviour changes (including social withdrawal), loss of daily living skills, gait disorder, and, in some, psychosis (including hallucinations and delusions), seizures, and dysphagia.
Those with Down syndrome nearly always have physical and intellectual disabilities. As adults, their mental abilities are typically similar to those of an 8- or 9-year-old. At the same time, their emotional and social awareness is very high.
Many students with down syndrome do not have the ability to express their fear or resistance to a new practice. Until they have the language to express their feelings, stubborn behavior will continue.
People with Down syndrome also tend to get age-related health problems earlier than others. This includes dementia, memory loss, and problems with judgment or changes in personality that are similar to Alzheimer's disease.
These behaviors include wandering off, refusal to follow instructions, aggression, impulsivity, and difficulty transitioning from activity to activity. Behavioral challenges can not only impact a child' s quality of life but also cause major str esses for parents, teachers, and other caregivers.
Many people with Down syndrome will make noises or do motor activities (e.g., arm movements) that appear to be self-stimulatory. These are called stereotypies (also known as self-stimulatory behavior). * They can include making sounds or doing repetitive movements or repetitively moving objects.
Their personality characteristics vary, as well. Think of the different personality traits that typical people have and you have just as many traits that can occur in people with Down syndrome – they can be funny, sarcastic, indifferent, ambitious, laid back, high strung, loving… the list could go on forever.
The average intelligence quotient (IQ) of children with DS is around 50, ranging between 30 and 70. Remarkably, a small number of patients have a profound degree of ID, whereas others have a mild degree despite the absence of any genetic, cultural or familial favoring or disfavoring causes.
For example, the average IQ score for the Mosaic Down syndrome group may be 64 but some children may score 70 or more and some 40 or less. The average IQ for the standard Down syndrome group may be 52, but again some children will score 70 or more and some 40 or less.
Williams syndrome is a developmental disorder that affects many parts of the body. This condition is characterized by mild to moderate intellectual disability or learning problems, unique personality characteristics, distinctive facial features, and heart and blood vessel (cardiovascular) problems.
Children with Down syndrome usually learn and progress more slowly than most other children. However, not all areas of development are equally affected.
4,5 A Finnish study showed that, of a population of 129, only 9% had shown severe irritability, disturbing behaviour and physically attacked others, and 4% had been difficult to manage or even dangerous to others. 3 These aggressive behaviours were statisti- cally significant amongst male patients rather than females.
Almost one-half of babies with Down syndrome have congenital heart disease (CHD), the most common type of birth defect. CHD can lead to high blood pressure in the lungs, an inability of the heart to effectively and efficiently pump blood, and cyanosis (blue-tinted skin caused by reduced oxygen in the blood).
Reinforcement (providing something positive or removing something negative), especially social rewards (praise, smiles, high-fives, etc), typically work best for children with DS. Remember to reinforce behaviors you want repeated and not to reinforce behaviors you are trying to extinguish.
The most common musculoskeletal effects of Down syndrome include weak muscle tone (hypotonia) and ligaments that are too loose (ligament laxity). This leads to excessive joint flexibility.
Down syndrome is not new — in fact, the first evidence of its existence dates back 2,500 years. The facial features of DS are found in some ancient pottery and paintings. The syndrome is named after John Langdon Down, an English doctor who published a clinical description in 1866.
Use this language when referring to Down syndrome and people who have Down syndrome: People with Down syndrome should always be referred to as people first. Avoid: "a Down syndrome child" or "Down's child" - it should be "a child with Down syndrome."
People with Down syndrome usually have an IQ (a measure of intelligence) in the mildly-to-moderately low range and are slower to speak than other children. Some common physical features of Down syndrome include: A flattened face, especially the bridge of the nose.
Common behavior problems such as aggression, tantrums and "noncompliance" are not part of DS-ASD.
People with Down syndrome can feel angry, sad, embarrassed or excited. In fact, rather than always being happy, people with Down syndrome are at higher risk of mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive behaviour than the general population.
Psychological and psychiatric dysfunction is a major problem in a substantial proportion of young adults with Down syndrome. Some patients develop psychiatric issues, such as depressive, obsessive-compulsive, or psychotic-like disorders, in their late adolescence or young adulthood.