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Down Syndrome and the Health Problems That Accompany It

Down syndrome is a devastating diagnosis in and of itself but unfortunately it also is accompanied by a host of other health impairments that range from life threatening to minor nuisances. The medical ramifications of having extra genetic material in the genes can affect the body system anywhere and in multiple body organs. About 30-50% of all children born with Down syndrome have heart defects. There are a number of different heart defects that can occur that include abnormal holes in the walls that separate the chambers of the heart, a hole in the heart muscle itself and other specific defects of the heart. Gastrointestinal defects are present in approximately 5-7% of all children born with Down syndrome. The most common defect is that of a narrowed and obstructed duodenum which is the part of the intestines that carries the stomach contents. All children diagnosed with Down syndrome are automatically examined by a pediatric cardiologist and a pediatric internal medicine specialist who test the child for these common heart and intestinal defects.

Other health problems that accompany Down syndrome include thyroid disorders, kidney disorders, vision and hearing impairments, a propensity towards ear infections and pneumonia, and a greater tendency of developing leukemia later in life.

Development in children with Down syndrome occurs at a much slower pace than children without it. Down syndromes causes the child to have weak and floppy muscles, which results in the child learning to roll over, sit up, crawl and even walk much later than his non Down syndrome counterparts. Talking is typically quite delayed due to weak muscles in the tongue and mouth, an unusually small mouth and the below average intelligence quotient that also accompanies a Down syndrome diagnosis.

As people with Down syndrome get older, they have a greater chance of developing brain diseases such as Alzheimer's and Dementia. There is also a greater tendency toward the development of cataracts, seizure disorders, and diabetes. Fertility is also greatly reduces in both males and females with only three recorded instances of men with Down syndrome fathering children.

The most widely known complication of Down syndrome is the mental retardation that comes with it. The retardation varies widely and can be anywhere from mild or moderate to severe. The majority of children with Down syndrome fall into the mild to moderate category. These children can learn to walk, talk, dress themselves, and become toilet trained however; they tend to accomplish these things much later than other children do. There are many early intervention programs that can help these children to progress faster while giving them skill sets specific to Down syndrome that will help them to function successfully in society.

Interestingly, the chromosome 21 in which a person with Down syndrome has tow many of, is the chromosome that is considered to be a tumor suppressor. Because of the tumor suppressing effects of these additional chromosomes in the body, people with Down syndrome have a greatly reduced incidence of many common malignancies and tumor related cancers. The exception to this is leukemia and testicular cancer.

The health risks that come with having Down syndrome cause the people with it to have a reduced life expectancy compared to someone without Down syndrome. As of 2002, the average lifespan of a person with Down syndrome is 49 years depending on certain ethnic and socio-economic considerations.