The Causes and Effects of Down Syndrome Essay example

Down syndrome, also known as trisomy 21, occurs when a child is born with three copies chromosome 21, as you can see in Figure 1. This can be caused by three different processes; nondisjunction, mosaicism, or translocation. Nondisjunction occurs during the reduction of chromosomes, from 46 to 23, after the egg and sperm have combined, causing one parent to pass on 24 instead of 23. In the case of Down syndrome, the extra chromosome is chromosome 21. Mosaicism is a rare occurrence, happening â€Å"in approximately one to two percent of Down syndrome cases† (Johnson, 2013). Initially, the correct number of chromosomes is passed on from the parents, but during the phase following fertilization, when the cells are dividing quickly, one cell divides†¦show more content†¦This causes interference with the baby’s food entering the intestine and going through digestion, and the baby will often forcibly vomit after eating, and have trouble gaining weight. Another deforma tion of the gastrointestinal tract often seen in people affected with Down syndrome is an abnormal connection of the windpipe to the esophagus, called trachea-esophageal fistula, and causes air to enter the digestive system, and food to enter the airway. Because of their poor muscle tone, children with Down syndrome develop at a slower pace than other unaffected children do. They learn to walk, crawl, sit-up, and especially speak, at a much slower pace. With the right education, people affected with Down syndrome can learn, but have a mild-to-moderate level of intellectual disability. Most can learn to read and write, and eventually grow up to be semi-independent adults. Johnson noted that other medical issues that people with Down syndrome suffer from â€Å"include an increased chance of developing infections, especially ear infections and pneumonia; certain kidney disorders; thyroid disease†¦; hearing loss; vision impairment†¦; and a 20 times greater chance than the p opulation as a whole of developing leukemia† (2011). As individuals with this disease grow older, they also have a larger chance of getting Alzheimer’s disease than their peers do. The average person has a 12% chance ofShow MoreRelatedDoes Down Syndrome Increase the Chances of Developing Leukemia?1098 Words   |  5 PagesDown syndrome is a genetic disease that occurs in people that have 47 chromosomes instead of 46. Does the Down syndrome increase the chances of developing leukemia? What health risks are involved in trying to keep children from getting leukemia? I have personally seen the effects of Down syndrome. There have been clinical trials that have shown the results of leukemia on kids with Down syndrome. The life expectancy has gone up dramatically because of medicine. Down syndrome has affected the livesRead MoreThe Medical Condition Known As Down Syndrome970 Words   |  4 Pagesaddress the medical condition known as Down syndrome. Hwang (2013) states in h is research that Down syndrome is a chromosomal translation and is responsible for various other conditions of the organs. The paper will give a general insight of the condition considering is one of the most common in the United Sates. The paper explains this by breaking it down in the following aspects: age group and family history. It also provides a description of Down syndrome, statistics and variants of the conditionRead More Down Syndrome Essay1249 Words   |  5 PagesDown Syndrome They used to be called Mongoloids, an ethnic insult coined by John Langdon Down, an English physician during the nineteenth century. 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