Down Syndrome - 4 Other Complications Everyone Should Be Aware Of

Many people are born with various medical or genetic conditions. One of the most common conditions incurred by children is Down Syndrome. Most of the time, people will identify this condition by looking at its physical appearance of the child.

Many people would think of this condition to be more inclined on just the physical level but the truth is this is because of genetic or chromosomal disorder. This syndrome is caused by having an extra copy of the 21st chromosome. This disorder is also called as trisomy 21 and affects the physical appearance of a child.

But aside from just the physical appearance, children with this disorder can also have different complications. The following are some of the complications these children may have.

Thyroid disorders
One of the common characteristics of this problem is increased weight or body size for their age. This is due to low metabolism caused by thyroid disorder. Most of the time, thyroid problem on these children is also caused by actual problem on the thyroid gland itself. The thyroid may be functioning well initially but a complication with immune system caused it to stop functioning properly. A weaker immune system is another complication caused by this chromosomal issue.

Neurological complications
Children with DS are also at risk of several neurological complications. The most common found among this population is epilepsy. Other children on the other hand can develop Alzheimer's disease at a younger age. One the average, these children may show signs of dementia even if they are younger than 50 years old.

Congenital heart problems
Onset of heart problems at birth is common among these children. In fact, around 50 percent of this population may have this problem. The extra copy of chromosome 21 may cause several organ parts to not develop properly. The most known problem is septal defect or incomplete development of the septum. Septum is the thick wall located at the middle part of the heart.

Immune problems
This is one of the dangerous complications as it increases the risk of a child getting different medical issues. Infection will happen since their immune system may not have enough antibodies to fight them back. With the infection spreading throughout the body may cause death if not treated immediately. This is where the child needs utmost protection from possible sources of infections.

In conclusion, Down Syndrome has other complications that parents to deal with. The good thing about this disorder is it can be diagnosed while the baby is still inside the womb through amniocentesis. This is the procedure wherein amniotic fluid sample will be taken and subject them to testing. Talking with a physician can help enlighten parents about this issue and proper way of dealing with it.



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Down Syndrome - 4 Other Complications Everyone Should Be Aware Of