As a result, Down syndrome was also known as “Mongolism” and people with Down syndrome referred to as “Mongoloids” but the use of the word 'mongolism' is now stopped after having so many criticisms about referring a racist title.
In 1866 British physician, John Langdon Down, for whom the syndrome is now named, first described Down syndrome, as “Mongolism.” The term Down syndrome didn't become the accepted term until the early 1970s.
Because the characteristic epicanthic eye fold of Down Syndrome superficially resembles that seen in some Asian populations, Down Syndrome was for many years called 'Mongolism.
Down syndrome, also called Down's syndrome, trisomy 21, or (formerly) mongolism, congenital disorder caused by the presence in the human genome of extra genetic material from chromosome 21.
Trisomy 21, the most frequent variant of Down syndrome (also known as mongolism), is a disease in which people have 47 chromosomes in each cell instead of 46.
Inheritance. Most cases of Down syndrome are not inherited. When the condition is caused by trisomy 21, the chromosomal abnormality occurs as a random event during the formation of reproductive cells in a parent. The abnormality usually occurs in egg cells, but it occasionally occurs in sperm cells.
An extra chromosome causes Down syndrome. Each human cell typically contains 23 pairs of chromosomes, which totals 46. Down syndrome occurs because of changes in the way cells in chromosome 21 divide. Every person with Down syndrome has an extra chromosome 21 in some or all of their cells.
As a term for Down syndrome
"Mongoloid" has had a second usage, now generally avoided as highly offensive: until the late 20th century, people with Down syndrome were often referred to as "Mongoloids", or in terms of "Mongolian idiocy" or "Mongolian imbecility".
Archaeologists have found a skeleton of a child with Down syndrome that's 1500 years old, making it the earliest known case of the genetic disorder. Signs that the 5- to 7-year-old had the condition include thin cranial bones and a short and broad-shaped skull, New Scientist reports.
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.
Down's syndrome is a genetic disorder that delays a person's growth and causes intellectual disability. People with Down's syndrome have three copies of chromosome 21, rather than the usual two. It was described in the 19th century, but has probably existed throughout human history.
NDSS uses the preferred spelling, Down syndrome, rather than Down's syndrome. Down syndrome is named for the English physician John Langdon Down, who characterized the condition, but did not have it. An “apostrophe s” connotes ownership or possession.
Alexandrine was known by the nickname of "Adini" within her family. It became clear shortly after Alexandrine's birth that she was affected with Down syndrome. Unlike other disabled royal children, Alexandrine was not hidden away. She appeared in official family photographs and at events.
In the archaeological record, the oldest probable case of Down syndrome came from a 9-year-old child who lived in England sometime between A.D. 700 and 900.
Misconception: People who have Down syndrome cannot have children. Reality: It's true that a person with Down syndrome may have significant challenges in rearing a child. But women who have Down syndrome are fertile and can give birth to children.
Mongoloids are a cluster of all or few individuals aboriginal to East Asia, Southeast Asia, North Asia, the Arctic, Central Asia, the Americas, and the Pacific Islands. This population frequently share specified traits, such as epicanthic folds, sino- or sundadonty, shovel-shaped incisors, and neoteny.
So, are Down syndrome and autism the same thing or the same disorder? No. They are distinct disorders with different causes that may show some similar symptoms, but also differences.
Down syndrome occurs when a person's cells contain extra genetic material that results from abnormal cell division before birth. Mosaic Down syndrome is the rarest type of this disorder. Its symptoms are typically similar to those of the other types but may be milder in some cases.
Most individuals with Down syndrome have mild (IQ: 50–69) or moderate (IQ: 35–50) intellectual disability with some cases having severe (IQ: 20–35) difficulties. Those with mosaic Down syndrome typically have IQ scores 10–30 points higher than that.
A recent study suggests that a 20-year-old father doubles the chance of Down syndrome as compared to one who's 40.
There's no way to prevent Down syndrome. If you're at high risk of having a child with Down syndrome or you already have one child with Down syndrome, you may want to consult a genetic counselor before becoming pregnant. A genetic counselor can help you understand your chances of having a child with Down syndrome.
Why do people with Down syndrome look the same? They have similar features due to extra genetic material that affects growth of the maxilla (part of the skull) and the bone, cartilage, and connective tissue in the head, known as the cranial neural crest.
These factors include geographic region, maternal education, marital status, and Hispanic ethnicity. Because the likelihood that an egg will contain an extra copy of chromosome 21 increases significantly as a woman ages, older women are much more likely than younger women to give birth to an infant with Down syndrome.