Kindly share. Very important.
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Down syndrome : A genetic disorder
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🛑 Pregnancy occurs when a sperm and an egg come together to form a baby.
🛑 Men release sperm which contain 23 chromosomes each and women an egg which contains 23 chromosomes . One chromosome ( number 23) is responsible for determining the sex of the baby.
🛑 These two come together to form 46 chromosomes ( 23 pairs) which human beings usually have.
🛑 Each chromosome has what it is important for. The body is affected if anything goes wrong with any of these chromosomes.
🛑 Sometimes either the sperm or the egg can have more or less number of chromosomes than normal.
🛑 In the case of down syndrome, there is an extra copy of chromosome number 21 ( the entire chromosome or part of it ) either from the mother or the father.
🛑 When either the sperm or the egg that come together to form the baby has that extra copy of chromosome number 21, the baby born as a result of this has 47 chromosomes instead of 46. Photo below.
🛑 A baby born with 3 copies of chromosome 21 is said to have down syndrome or trisomy 21.
🛑 Babies born with down syndrome can be Male or female.
🛑 Down syndrome isn't the fault of the mother or the father, neither is it because of something you ate or took. It is a genetic problem. You are not cursed.
🛑 Nobody knows how to cure or prevent down syndrome.
🛑 Women aged 35 and above are at a higher risk of having a child with down syndrome as compared to those below 35. You can still have a child with down syndrome even if you are below 35 yrs. Genetic testing is very important when pregnant at 35 or above. Lots of things can go wrong with your baby after 35.
🛑 If you have had one child with down syndrome , it would be great to get checked when you are pregnant again or trying for another baby as there is a high risk of you having another child with down syndrome.
🛑 Lots of down syndrome babies are seen to be born to younger women, only because many women above are done with child birth by the age of 35. Any woman capable of getting pregnant can have a baby with down syndrome.
🛑 Folic acid does not prevent down syndrome in any way. Folic acid helps in preventing defects of the spine, brain or spinal cord.
🛑 Children with down syndrome are not from the sea or any kind of water. They are born that way just because something went wrong.
🛑 People with down syndrome have varying degrees of severity of symptoms and intelligence. They are all not the same. Dont treat them all alike.
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You might notice these common features or problems on a child born with down syndrome. Not all children with down syndrome have all these features or problems
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💥Eyes that slant upward
💥Small ears that may fold over slightly at the top. Shape is a bit unusual
💥 white spots on the coloured part of their eyes
💥a small mouth that makes the tongue look a bit big - tongue sticks out of the mouth usually
💥 a flat face, small nose with a flattened bridge ( photo below)
💥 a short neck
💥 small hands with short fingers
💥 small head
💥 Broad, short hands with a single crease in the palm
💥 Short height when they grow
💥 grow slower than other children of the same age.
💥 There is a risk of obesity
💥 They are really flexible
💥 Heart problems. Some might need surgery
💥 Problems with their intestines
💥 Vision problems
💥 Hearing problems
💥 Problems with their Thyroid gland
💥 There is a higher risk of conditions such as leukemia, cancers and infections like pneumonia.
💥 They usually have learning problems
❗ Problems babies are born with are managed or dealt with based on what they are.
🛑 Down syndrome is usually not inherited. However, in very rare cases it can be passed on from parent to child.
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How can Down syndrome be diagnosed
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🛑 Down syndrome can be diagnosed before birth by taking a sample of the water around your baby or its placenta and looking at cells in it.
🛑 It can also be diagnosed by looking at the amount of your baby’s DNA in your blood. These tests are very accurate.
🛑 You can also diagnose down syndrome using ultrasound scan taken between 12 to 13 weeks or 20 to 24 weeks ( first trimester ultrasound screening or anomaly scan ). This is however not as accurate.
🛑 Your baby can also be diagnosed after birth when examined by the paediatrician.
❗ Don't be mean to people who have children with down syndrome or children who have down syndrome. It's no fault of theirs. Be kind and lend s helping hand if possible. Raising children with special needs can be very difficult and
mentally draining.
🎉🎉🎉 Cheers to all the beautiful people with an extra piece of chromosome . You are amazing just the way you are.
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