According to NHS website:
Down’s syndrome, also known as Down syndrome or trisomy 21, is a genetic condition that typically causes some level of learning disability and certain physical characteristics.
Down’s syndrome is usually caused by an extra chromosome in a baby’s cells. In most cases, this isn’t inherited – it’s simply the result of a one-off genetic change in the sperm or egg.
Because socks look like chromosomes, World Down’s syndrome day can be marked by wearing odd or brightly coloured and patterned socks.
There’s a small chance of having a child with Down’s syndrome with any pregnancy. It is commonly quoted that risk of having a Downs baby increases with age of the Mother; For example, a woman who is 20 has about a 1 in 1,500 chance of having a baby with Down’s, while a woman who is 40 has a 1 in 100 chance. What is commonly, not acknowledged is that as well as older Mother’s it is also more common in teenage Mother’s. It means Women’s in late 30s or 40s who fear sound of biological clock ticking may also worry about having a Down’s baby. Not that having a Down’s syndrome baby is necessarily something to worry about, as many celebrating the Down’s people they know today, will tell you.
World Down’s day is celebrated on the 21st of March because it normally occurs when there is a extra chromosome on chromosome 21 hence 21st. It is celebrated in 3rd month March because when there is a extra chromosome making, three chromosomes, this is called triplication.
From NHS website, these are symptoms;
Most babies born with Down’s syndrome are diagnosed soon after birth and may have:
• floppiness (hypotonia)
• eyes that slant upwards and outwards
• a small mouth with a tongue that may stick out
• a flat back of the head
• below-average weight and length at birth
• their palm may have only one crease across it
Although children with Down’s syndrome share some common physical characteristics, they don’t all look the same. A child with Down’s will look more like their family members than other children who have the syndrome.
People with Down’s syndrome will also have different personalities and abilities. Everyone born with Down’s syndrome will have some degree of learning disability, but this will be different for each person.
Different parents, will cope differently; for some parents some of the above is too much.
Sometimes parents find out their baby has Down’s syndrome during pregnancy because of screening tests. All pregnant women in England are offered fre screening tests for Down’s syndrome. Screening tests can’t tell you for certain if your baby has Down’s syndrome, but they can tell you how likely it is. If test shows likely that baby has Down’s syndrome, the parents face the difficult decision of whether to continue pregnancy. As mentioned above every Down’s child is different and all parent’s different, so it is a personal decision and no one should be made to feel bad which ever, way their decision.
There’s no evidence that anything done before or during pregnancy increases or decreases the chance of having a child with Down’s syndrome.
On this day, let’s have fun, wearing cool socks and thinking of all the wonderful Down’s people. But also remember those suffering due to a diagnosis of Down’s pre or post natal and those who have lost babies due to Down’s.
, they got dressed in a rush or in the dark. Or maybe they are taling part in Lot’s of socks day for World Down Syndrome day.
Wonderwall 