How To Help A Child With Down Syndrome: 10 Steps With Pictures

And even if the tests say your child has Down syndrome, they can’t tell you how the condition will affect your child. You can talk to your doctor or midwife to get more information about these tests. For example, the skull was short and broad, and flattened at the base. In addition, it contained thin cranial bones and certain extra bone pieces. A mother’s age at her child’s birth is the only factor linked to the risk of having a baby with Down syndrome.

It should also include helping you learn how to spend time with your child in ways that support their development. With family and community support, your child with Down syndrome can grow up to live in the community, have a job and have good relationships with friends and family. But as with any other child, your love and stimulation are the most important influences on your child’s development. Children learn the most from the people who care for them and with whom they spend most of their time, so everyday play and communication with you can help your child a lot. Although we know how Down syndrome happens, we don’t know why.

Enhancing Healthcare Team Outcomes

Knockout Mouse Project is a trans-NIH initiative that aims to generate a comprehensive and public resource comprised of mouse embryonic stem cells containing a null mutation in every gene in the mouse genome. To achieve its goals related to Down syndrome research, the NICHD supports and participates in a variety of other activities, including NIH-wide efforts. Research on choline supplementation during pregnancy has provided evidence of lasting effects on memory and cognition. The Institute’s portfolio covers a broad range of research areas, including the causes, treatment, and prevention of Down syndrome.

The difference in ages means there can be a power imbalance that makes the younger person vulnerable to manipulation and even abuse. I hope one day she’ll get to date and have romantic relationships, maybe even get married. But I want her to have those experiences with those who shares her same level of ability and understanding. Not with people who feel obligated out of guilt, or who can manipulate her. I would honestly question why someone with a typical ability and intelligence, would want to date someone with an intellectual disability like Down syndrome. Not because the person with DS is a lesser person, but because the relationship could never exist on equal footing.

Although many children with Down syndrome have physical and mental limitations, they can live independent and productive lives well into adulthood. A doctor can often make a diagnosis of Down syndrome at birth based on how the baby looks. The doctor may hear a heart murmur when listening to the baby’s chest with a stethoscope. Down syndrome symptoms vary from person to person and can range from mild to severe.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Folic acid is an important B vitamin that is taken during pregnancy to prevent certain birth defects, such as spina bifida. Verywell Health’s content is for informational and educational purposes only. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Depending on the results of screening tests, you might want to have diagnostic testing.

Down syndrome is caused by an extra copy of a specific chromosome. In most cases, this is the result of something going wrong with the sperm or the egg prior to conception. Translocation trisomy 21, an inheritable condition, makes up about 4% of Down syndrome cases. This doesn’t mean, however, that having a baby before age 35 is a reliable strategy for preventing Down syndrome.

The symptoms of Down syndrome vary from person to person, and people with Down syndrome may have different problems at different times of their lives. Down syndrome describes a set of cognitive and physical symptoms that result from an extra copy or part of a copy of chromosome 21. For some reason, some people also seem to fixate on not believing the diagnosis is true. Those that have down syndrome can benefit greatly from being given a certain amount of freedom when it comes to meeting new people, dating, going places, and even getting jobs if they desire. Though down syndrome in the earlier days was often a sentence to live at home until parents passed away and the child was then sent to an institution, that is certainly no longer the case. For many families that deal with down syndrome on a daily basis, it is as difficult for parents and siblings to accept that love is possible.

Down syndrome and health

The healthcare provider may also take a blood sample. This is checked in a lab to find the extra chromosome. Chromosome problems such as Down syndrome can often be diagnosed before birth. A screening test tells you and your healthcare provider if you have a https://datingrated.com/ greater or lesser chance of having Down Syndrome. OPWDD Community and Home Intervention and Response Program – Provides services to individuals with a developmental or intellectual disability living in Monroe County with significant behavioral difficulties.

If he asks, you can tell him that when his penis stiffens, it is called an erection and it is something that a normal, healthy penis does. It could be because he is excited, it could be because he is touching it, it could be because he is thinking about something sexual, and it could be for no reason at all. This may be a good reminder for everyone, too – we often make things feel more awkward when they are sexual, but this might not be the case with erections.

Each person with Down syndrome is an individual — intellectual and developmental problems may be mild, moderate or severe. Some people are healthy while others have significant health problems such as serious heart defects. A common misconception about people who have Down syndrome is that they are always happy. The reality is, individuals with Down syndrome are more like everyone else than they are different. Everyone has different feelings and moods, and just like the general public, adults with Down syndrome must have adaptive life skills, work skills, and educational and social opportunities.

Dating4disabled: Opening The World Of Dating To Those With Disabilities

Users can create profiles, search for matches, and communicate with prospective partners using Dating4Disabled. A member of the Dating4Disabled team is available to assist and advise users. It is designed with people with special needs in mind so that dating can be as simple and comfortable as possible. People with special needs are extremely grateful for the opportunity to find someone to love and support them.

Some of these conditions are evident at birth, and may require surgery straight away. By law, children with Down syndrome who attend public school are entitled to an Individualized Education Plan or IEP. This is a plan you create with the school that addresses your child’s specific learning needs. Adults and children may tease, taunt, and avoid children with Down syndrome.

The “teenage years” is when friendships become quite important . However, one of the biggest challenges teens with Down syndrome may face is the lack of true friendships. While typical peers may be friendly at school and school-sponsored events or activities, those friendships don’t always extend beyond school. Several parents shared that their teens with Down syndrome don’t get invited to parties or to “hang out” with other kids. This, in turn, is devastating and isolating for their children. We have to let our kids know they control their bodies and teach them which types of touching are appropriate.