Down syndrome is the most commonly occurring genetic condition. One in every 800 to 1,000 live births is a child with Down syndrome, representing approximately 5,000 births per year in the United States alone. Today, Down syndrome affects more than 350,000 people in the United States. (www.ndss.org).
It is an often misconception that all people with Down syndrome are severely mentally handicapped. Being born with DS does not always affect your cognitive abilities in a massive way. Down syndrome may intellectually inhibit, producing minor cognitive retarding, however, some individuals actually poses average to above-average intelligence. People with Down syndrome have some level of mental retardation; however, the level usually falls into the mild to moderate range and is not indicative of the many strengths and talents that each individual possesses. Children with Down syndrome learn to sit, walk, talk, play, toilet train and do most other activities; only somewhat later than their peers without Down syndrome.
For a well-rounded definition of the terms used in this paper I have pieced together several sources. Mental retardation refers to substantial limitations and subnormal of intellectual development as a result of congenital causes, brain injury, or disease and characterized by any of various cognitive deficiencies, including impaired learning, social, and vocational ability. It is a disorder in which a person's overall intellectual functioning is well below average, with an IQ of 70 or less.
Down Syndrome has a universalized definition found correspondingly in almost all sources: A congenital disorder, caused by the presence of an extra 21st chromosome (also called trisomy 21), in which the affected person has mild to severe learning disabilities and physical symptoms that include; a small skull, extra folds of skin under the eyes, and a flattened nose bridge. Muscle tone throughout the body is usually low.
