It also looks at current life expectancy rates.
Physical and Facial Features of Down Syndrome
Down syndrome is characterized by distinctive facial and physical features.
Some people with Down syndrome have severe intellectual disability with an IQ of 25 to 30.
Illustration by Verywell
Depending on the child, the differences in development are sometimes incidental and not noteworthy.
This should start shortly after birth and usually continue until the child reaches age 3.
They are also vulnerable to certain cancers.
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Poor oral hygiene can also contribute.
Between 5% and 10% of children are affected, increasing to around 50% by adulthood.
Around 40% of those who develop epilepsy do so by the age of one year.
Alzheimer’s diseaseis another concern among people with Down syndrome.
Hearing Loss
Hearing problems are common with Down syndrome.
This can contribute to developmental delays as well as problems with learning and social interactions.
Between 10% and 70% of adults with Down syndrome will experience hearing loss later in life.
Others are severe and require surgery or medications.
Adults with Down syndrome are at increased risk of heart disease as they age.
There are many possible reasons for this including:
Most of these malformations can be fixed with surgery.
The most common problem ishypothyroidism(low thyroid function).
Infertility
Down syndrome is directly and indirectly associated with low rates of fertility.
Further lowering the conception rate is the early onset ofmenopausecommonly seen in females with Down syndrome.
As for males, the current medical literature suggests that few with Down syndrome have ever conceived a child.
Life Expectancy
Down syndrome is associated with a lowered life expectancy.
Among the concerns, congenital heart defects kill many babies with Down syndrome.
Those who survive run a high risk of premature heart disease and early heart disease-related death.
The types and severity of symptoms can vary from one person to the next.
The current life expectancy of someone with Down syndrome is 47 years.
Heart disease is one of the major factors contributing the shortened life expectancy, but others contribute.
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Holmes G.Gastrointestinal disorders in Down syndrome.Gastroenterol Hepatol Bed Bench.
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2015;4(2):76-92. doi: 10.3978/j.issn.2224-4336.2015.03.03
American Pregnancy Association.Down syndrome/trisomy 21.
