As adults with Down syndrome grow older, there is increased risk of experiencing certain common mental health disorders like depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder and behavioral disturbances. A sudden or abrupt change in mood or behavior patterns warrants further investigation.
People with Down syndrome can expect to live to 60
In the 1940s, a child with Down syndrome had a life expectancy of 12 years. These days, their life expectancy is 60 years and a baby born with Down syndrome could live into their 80s — in line with the general population.
People with Down's syndrome in the 50 – 60 age bracket show the same typical ageing pattern as the general population – a decline in memory, vision, hearing and motor function. After the age of 60, there is usually deterioration in vision (cataracts become common), hearing and skin.
Risk factors include: Advancing maternal age. A woman's chances of giving birth to a child with Down syndrome increase with age because older eggs have a greater risk of improper chromosome division. A woman's risk of conceiving a child with Down syndrome increases after 35 years of age.
If left untreated, it can affect physical and mental wellbeing. The most common condition for people with Down syndrome is an under-active thyroid, which is known as hypothyroidism. The symptoms of this condition include: Lethargy.
Down syndrome symptoms vary from person to person and can range from mild to severe. No matter how severe the condition is, people with Down syndrome have a widely-recognized appearance.
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.
Pulmonary infectious disease is the leading cause of mortality in Down syndrome, caused by both intrinsic (morphological factors) and extrinsic (immune dysfunction) factors. Listed in each organ cartoon are genes implicated in disturbed heart, lung and immune function.
There are three types of Down syndrome. People often can't tell the difference between each type without looking at the chromosomes because the physical features and behaviors are similar.
There are three types of Down syndrome: trisomy 21 (nondisjunction), translocation and mosaicism. Trisomy 21 (nondisjunction) accounts for 95% of known cases of Down syndrome.
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.
Common conditions encountered in adults with DS include: AD, epilepsy, mood and behavioral disorders, visual and hearing impairment, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and autoimmune diseases, such as thyroiditis and celiac disease.
Due to cognitive and language delays, little ones with DS may struggle with identifying, understanding, and managing emotions. Remember to step in with guidance when they seem confused, use pretend play to teach them how to handle difficult situations, and try to model appropriate ways to emotionally respond.
Misconception: People who have Down syndrome don't feel pain. Reality: People with Down syndrome absolutely feel pain.
Although women older than 35 years of age make up a small portion of all births6 in the United States each year, about nearly one-half of babies with Down syndrome are born to women in this age group.
It is a common birth defect, the most frequent and recognizable form of intellectual disabilities (ID), appearing in about one out of every 700 newborns. The average intelligence quotient (IQ) of children with DS is around 50, ranging between 30 and 70.
Mosaicism, or mosaic Down syndrome, is diagnosed when there is a mixture of two types of cells. Some have the usual 46 chromosomes, and some have 47. Those cells with 47 chromosomes have an extra chromosome 21. Mosaicism is usually described as a percentage.
Mosaicism. Mosaicism (or mosaic Down syndrome) exists when there are a mixture of two types of cells, some containing the usual 46 chromosomes and some containing 47. Those cells with 47 chromosomes contain an extra chromosome 21. Mosaicism is the least common form of Down syndrome.
Similar to other populations (with or without a medical diagnosis), individuals with Down syndrome present a wide spectrum of physical, cognitive, and social characteristics and abilities.
Down syndrome occurs in people of all races and economic levels. The risk increases with the mother's age (1 in 1250 for a 25 year old mother to 1 in 1000 at age 31, 1 in 400 at age 35, and about 1 in 100 at age 40). However, 80% of babies with Down syndrome are born to women under age 35 years.
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).
Potentially serious complications — The most serious complications of Down syndrome include heart defects, blood disorders that can include leukemia (cancer of the blood), and immune system problems. Heart defects — Approximately half of all babies with Down syndrome are born with (often repairable) heart defects.
Depression is at least as common in people with Down's syndrome as it is in the general population and affects them in the same way. It is much more than just feeling sad or low for a while.
Toddlers and older kids may have delays in speech and self-care skills like feeding, dressing, and using the toilet. Down syndrome affects kids' ability to learn in different ways, and most have mild to moderate intellectual disability. Kids can and do learn, and they can develop skills throughout their lives.
FINDINGS. A new UCLA study is the first to demonstrate that Down syndrome accelerates aging in different parts of the body. The researchers showed that the biological age of brain tissue from someone with Down syndrome appeared 11 years older than the person's chronological age.