Down's Disease: Causes and Symptoms

Down's disease is the name of an ailment that everyone knows,but at the same time, very few people really know what is its peculiarity and what people are suffering with it. For the first time the symptoms of the disease were described in 1866 by the English scientist John Lengdon Down. Strictly speaking, the syndrome was named in his honor, although the researcher himself referred to the defect he discovered as "Mongolism". Down perceived the deviation as a kind of mental disorder. Later studies in this field revealed not only external similarities and developmental difficulties, but also the presence of a defective gene in DNA. Thus, from the category of mental abnormalities Down's syndrome passed into the section of pathologies.

Down's disease, the causes of

All women can give birth to a child with this syndromewithout exception, regardless of age, social class and race. A genetic defect arises as a result of discrepancy of chromosomes in the process of gamete formation, as a result of which an extra, third chromosome appears in the 21st pair. A small percentage of those suffering from this deviation, instead of an entire superfluous chromosome, can only have its individual fragments.

According to WHO statistics, 800 birthsthe world has one with Down syndrome. The older a woman and a man, the greater their risk of having an inferior child. Also the age of the grandmother on the maternal line also influences her. The later she gave birth to her daughter, the more chances to conceive a child with this syndrome.

Thanks to the possibilities of medicine, today you canto reveal the problems of development in the early stages of pregnancy. According to statistics, 9 out of 10 women agree to abortion if fetal development abnormalities are detected. Even more sad statistics on children born. In Russia, these newborns are refused in 80% of cases directly in the hospital. In the Scandinavian countries, there has been no official denial of such children. US citizens adopt foreign abandoned children, raising them and giving them a chance for a normal future.

Down's disease, symptoms

External anomalies are expressed in the so-calledflat face and occiput, the cranium is abnormally shortened and as if flattened, the presence of epicanthus (skin fold near the eyes), short extremities, including the neck. Down's disease also affects the weakness of the muscles of the mouth, as a result of which it is in the open state. Very often the sky itself is changed, there are dental abnormalities. In 66% of cases, patients in the eighth year of life are found cataract.

Immunity of such people is weakened, they are susceptiblefrequent diseases that are very difficult. Because of this in the past, most patients died in infancy. Today, Down's disease is taken under control, people are able to live to 55 years or more.

The delay in development is different for each bornwith this syndrome, some start walking at the age of two, others - much later. With due medical care, any born child is able to grow into a full member of society. If he is lucky with his parents, who not only will not abandon him, but will also make every effort to raise him, the baby born with an extra chromosome will not only be a happy person, a socially active individual, but also be able to create his own family.