How to Recognize Down Syndrome Symptoms

Down syndrome is a disease or abnormality caused by a duplication of chromosome 21. There are a lot of unknown things related to Down syndrome, starting as to why exactly it happens, what can be done to prevent it and what, if any, role parents play in the problem. Down syndrome can usually be diagnosed before the baby is even born, but it is also possible to recognize its symptoms soon after delivery. Read on to learn how to recognize Down syndrome symptoms.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Look for physical characteristics common to children with Down syndrome, such as slow growth, short stature and broad stocky hands. Another common symptom is lack of strength. As the disease affects muscle tone, children who suffer from Down syndrome often seem weak and get tired easily or are unable to walk at an early age because of weak leg muscles.
2. Pay attention to facial features. One of the easiest ways to recognize symptoms of Down syndrome is to look at a child's face. The disease causes certain particular characteristics to occur, such as an asymmetrical skull, small mouth, slanted eyes, tongue and palate deformities (severity varies) and irregular teeth.
3. Look for problems socializing and developing relationships with anybody outside the closer family members, especially in very young children. Older kids eventually become more attuned to society and can develop a good rapport with others, but at a young age, delayed social skills are usually pronounced in people with Down syndrome.
4. Check for symptoms such as heart defects, which more than half of all Down syndrome children have, hearing problems and celiac disease. While having one of these diseases doesn't necessarily mean the child also has Down syndrome, the possibilities are higher if other symptoms are also present.
5. Talk to a doctor early on if you suspect some type of mental retardation. This can show in the way of delayed speech, difficulty learning letters and numbers and trouble remembering faces or identifying common objects. It can also show in babies who seem not to react to their environments or are too quiet or too reactive to everything around them.

Tips & Warnings

• There are several levels of Down syndrome, and it may sometimes be hard to identify the disease at first sight. In that case, blood or cognitive tests may be needed for a firm diagnosis. This is especially important in babies who don't have a physical appearance that fits the expected description of a Down syndrome child.