Children with Down syndrome are usually identified shortly after birth because of their physical characteristics associated with the syndrome.
Some of the most common physical traits include:
- However.
- Some of these characteristics may also be present in newborns who do not have the syndrome and can vary considerably depending on who has the syndrome.
- So the best way to confirm the diagnosis is to perform a genetic test.
- In order to identify the existence of the 3 copies of chromosome 21.
In addition to common physical characteristics, people with Down syndrome are even more likely to have heart problems, such as heart failure, such as thyroid diseases, such as hypothyroidism.
In nearly half of cases, there are still changes in the eyes that can include hatrabism, difficulty seeing from afar or up close, and even cataracts.
Because most of these problems aren’t easy to identify in the early days, it’s common for pediatricians to perform various tests during childhood, such as ultrasounds, echocardiograms, or blood tests, to determine if there is an associated disease.
Learn more about recommended tests for children with Down syndrome
All children with Down syndrome have some delay in intellectual development, especially in skills such as:
The degree of these difficulties may vary from case to case; however, all children will eventually acquire these skills, although it can take longer than another child without syndrome.
To reduce learning time, these children can participate in speech therapy sessions with the speech therapist, so they may be encouraged to speak earlier, such as facilitating the speech learning process.
Watch the video below and find out what activities help stimulate your baby with Down syndrome: