temperament and physical and intellectual abilities. Children with Down Syndrome have .
different traits, for instance some can be easy-going while other are stubborn, some may like .
music while others show no interest. No matter what, each of these children are unique and .
special in their own way. .
Children with Down Syndrome have distinct physical characteristics. They are short in .
stature and have a small, round face with a high flattened forehead and fissured, dry lips and .
tongue. Another typical feature is a fold of skin, on either side of the bridge of the nose, .
between the corner of the eyes. The hands are often broad and the fingers short. The feet are .
compact with a gap between the first and second toe, and their hair is soft and sleek. Such .
persons are also subject to congenital heart defects, many of which can be corrected surgically. .
They are also more likely to develop leukemia than other members of the general population.
There are three common types of Down Syndrome, the most common one being .
trisomy 21, which is found in about 95% of people with Down Syndrome. During pregnancy .
the formation of the egg or sperm, from a woman's or a man's pair of chromosomes normally .
split, so that only one chromosome is in each egg or sperm. In trisomy 21, the 21st .
chromosome pair does not split and a double-dose goes to the egg or sperm. The second type .
is known as translocation, found in about 3% to 4% of people with Down Syndrome. With this .
type an extra part of the 21st chromosome gets "stuck" onto another chromosome. The third .
type, mosaicism, is found in about 1% to 2% of people with Down Syndrome. With this type .
an extra 21st chromosome is found in only some of the cells. .
There are two tests that can be done to detect if the child you are carrying has any type .
of Down Syndrome, they are diagnostic and screening tests. A diagnostic test samples fetal .
cells and gives a definitive diagnosis.
