National Down Syndrome Day is commemorated to create awareness about down syndrome and to communicate facts about the condition.
What is Down syndrome?
Down syndrome is a chromosomal disorder arising at conception. There is an extra number 21 chromosome (Trisomy 21) which causes delays in physical and intellectual development
Facts about Down syndrome
- People with Down syndrome have mild to moderate mental damage.
- The cause of Down syndrome is not related to age, race, religion or socio-economic situations.
- One in 1 000 babies born in developed countries and 1 in 650 babies born in developing countries is affected by down syndrome.
- 80 percent of children affected by Down syndrome are born from mothers under the age of 35, although women over the age of 35 are at a higher risk of having a child with Down syndrome.
- Although Down syndrome cannot be cured, there is a variety of medical care to treat problems associated with the disease.
- Children with Down syndrome can be included in normal schools with regular academic procedures.
- People with Down syndrome can live up to the age of 50 to 55.
Source: Down Syndrome South Africa