Down's syndrome

This article was prepared by parents of children with Down's syndrome for you, the parents on the same path of life. To make things easier I started, we have put forward their feelings, knowledge and experience. Everyone we passed through the same woods feelings of sadness, anger, shock, guilt, and we should support.

If you can express your feelings letting the tears, do it. Most parents must go through a period of mourning for the unfulfilled expectations. Many of us have asked:'' Why is it just occurred to us?''. We will try to help you in this article you find the answer to that question. In addition to grief, it is quite common and normal to feel the rage. No because you can not and will not be judgmental. It takes about as much talk (with friends, relatives, neighbors).

After a while you begin to feel like you are in an ugly dream, or to become forgetful and have difficulty in concentrating, or not to accept the disputed (deny) the real situation. Some parents feel guilty. All these feelings and reactions are natural and most parents are experiencing. But you must have constantly in mind: to what your child has Down's Syndrome is NOT your fault.

To make things easier to overcome, you need the support. Support of friends, parents, relatives, people with the same experience. When you feel ready, here we are - Association of Parents of Children with Down's syndrome.Contact us and we will be glad to help you.

As Down's syndrome?

Down's syndrome is a genetic disorder that is caused by the presence of an extra chromosome. Occurs at the moment of conception. Chromosomes are tiny clumps of protein in each cell of the human body. They carry all the hereditary characteristics. On each chromosome contains thousands of genes in which they recorded all of our hereditary characteristics in the form of DNA. Chromosomes come in pairs in each cell there are 23 pairs (46 chromosomes total). In each pair one chromosome comes from the mother and one of oca.Uzrok Down's syndrome discovered in 1959. The French geneticist, Professor. Jerome Lejeune. To 21 pairs of chromosomes found another chromosome, instead of 2, that there are three chromosomes in the whole cell instead of 46, a total of 47 kromosoma.Takav disorder is present in every person with Down's syndrome. It can not be changed or treated. '' Syndrome'' is the common name for the character and characteristics, and the name of'' Down'' derives from the name of the English physician John Langdon Down who in 1866. syndrome first described almost 100 years before he found the cause of the disorder. People with Down's syndrome have some degree of developmental disorders (mental handicap). The degree of disorder varies from person to person and can not immediately after birth to determine the degree of disorder have a child later.

WHAT CAUSES Down's syndrome?

Studies to date have not revealed what exactly causes an extra chromosome on the 21st pairs. It can come from mother or father. The most common type of Down's is a standard trisomy of chromosome 21 (trisomy of chromosome = 3), also known as Primary Trisomy 21 or Trisomy 21st regular It occurs because of the unusual division of reproductive cells, so as to produce female sex cell or egg cell and the male gametes or sperm with 24 chromosomes instead uobičajenih23 (unlike all other cells in the body, only the gametes, ova or sperm, with a half of chromosome 23 instead of 46).

There is no way that one could predict whether a person is more or less prone to egg or sperm with 24 chromosomes. We know that children born of older parents (over 35) are more likely to be born with Down's syndrome, but they still do not know why.

GENETICS DOWN'S SYNDROME

There are 3 types of Down's syndrome: the standard (regular or primary), and mosaic translokacijski.

The standard (regular or primary) type

About 94% of people with Down's syndrome belongs to this group. It is always a'' mistake'' in nature. It can happen to anyone, and the causes are multi and have not been fully explored. Parents have a'' normal'' chromosomes, but the child has three chromosomes instead of 2 to 21 pairs.

Mosaic type

This type of Down's syndrome is very rare - only 2-3% of people with Down's syndrome belongs to this group.Mosaic type of cell involves the excess to 21 chromosome that are mixed with other normal cells. In other words, only a certain percentage of cells affected.

Translokacijski type

This type affects about 3% of children with Down's syndrome. Part of chromosome 21 priljepljuje on another chromosome, so that together form a new, larger chromosomes. Approximately 50% of people who have translokacijski Down's syndrome, translocation is considered coincidental and is not repeated in following pregnancies. In the other 50% of people going to be one of the parents, although there are'' normal'' balanced chromosomes, one chromosome is s 21 pairs affixed to another chromosome. In this case, the probability that the next child will have Down's syndrome is very high. Blood tests can provide much more precise information.

DO YOU CAN PREVENT CHILD HAS TO OUR Down's syndrome?

It is important to remember - not your fault that your child has Down's syndrome. Nothing you have done before or during pregnancy did not cause it. It occurs in all races, all social classes and in all countries around the world.It can happen to anyone.

Does this mean that each NEXT WE HAVE A CHILD THAT MAY be born with Down's syndrome?

Standard Trisomy 21 is not hereditary, however, if you've got a baby with Down's syndrome, your chances of getting more of such children have increased. No one is increasing and the older you get.

If you are thinking about the next pregnancy should consult with a geneticist will tell you the details. Some of our parents decide to reuse a pregnancy that has been under careful medical supervision.

Chromosome WHAT IS MORE FOR OUR CHILDREN?

All people with Down's syndrome share some common features, but every child can not find all these qualities.With them, your baby will inherit the physical and other characteristics of both parents, as well as any other child.

Your baby is unique!

Some parents ask if there is no specific physical characteristics of Down's syndrome do with the future development of the baby? There is no way at this early age predicts your child's skill levels. Chromosome means that the baby will be slower in achieving life goals and will have certain problems in learning. Yet most of these children learn to talk, walk, read, write, ride a bike and do the things they do bećinu other children, except that their development is usually slow.

WHAT ARE THE COMMON SIGNS DOWN'S SYNDROME?

birth weight may be smaller and slower than usual to compensate

children with Down's syndrome often have eyes slanted upward and outward. Shutters have a special fold. This does not mean that your baby's eyes are fine, they just look different

Your baby has relaxed the muscles and joints than other babies. It improves as the child is older.

back of the baby's head may be flatter.

Many babies have a furrow that runs straight across the palm. Doctors often look the characteristic furrow as a sign that the child has Down's syndrome, but other babies can also have the furrow.

All babies are different, and this holds true for children with Down's syndrome. This means that some babies easily recognizable features at birth, while the other appearance and behavior are almost indistinguishable from other children. Experienced doctors, of course, very well perceive the differences in appearance and behavior, and this is the reason for your baby's blood test and check the number of chromosomes.

Will our baby have health problems?

The problems with the respiratory organs

Babies and young children with Down's syndrome are prone to respiratory illnesses and infections, but thanks to advances in medicine and medical care, such diseases and infections are not as serious as they once were.

Problems with feeding

Some babies with Down's syndrome do not have enough power in the first days of life perform complex coordination needed to suck, swallow and breathe at the same time, and often zagrcavaju or suffocate. These problems are usually solved in a few weeks. If you breastfeed, your baby and the circumstances are not sufficiently prepared, make sure you keep the milk until it is accepted that breastfeeding is essential for its development. If breastfeeding is impossible for various reasons by the mother or child, it is possible to bottle feeding, artificial feeding. It can not hurt, the main thing is that your baby is happy.

Do not rush feeding, babies with Down's syndrome tend to eat very slowly, so do not stop too soon. Your baby can fall asleep at times. If this happens, try to tickle the cheeks, hands and feet, and when he wakes up, continue feeding.

Temperature control

Maintaining body temperature is more difficult in the early days of life. It is therefore important that the room in which he resides or the baby is not too hot nor too cold (ideal temperature is around 18 º C) and no draft.Excessive keep warm can be dangerous for the baby!

Skin

Your baby's skin can be very dry. Rub with a little baby oil and you put oil in the water bath. Anoint baby's skin every day cream to prevent drying out and cracking.

Control of language

Children with Down's syndrome often have an increased tongue peeking out of the mouth. It will be necessary to pay special attention to help your baby to control the language. Playing, performing grimaces, creating voices, you will help your child to exercise the facial muscles and tongue, and thus the first sounds and speech. Try to avoid clogging the nose who supports open mouth breathing and tongue protrusion. Wet air in the nursery you can avoid clogging your nose.

Problems with the heart

One of three children with Down's syndrome have heart failure. Some of them are harmless and some are serious and require treatment or surgery. Your baby's heart will be one of the first things that your pediatrician will check at the first examination. If there is suspicion of heart disease, will be carried out further examinations.

Heart failure caused by faulty development of heart cavities, and one after delivery can communicate through the holes in the heart compartments, which developed the normal heart is not found. It may also be damage to heart valves or abnormal development of large blood vessels that lead or drains blood from the heart. Depending on the size of heart disease, in which all children may not be the same, your baby will have symptoms.

Usually a heart murmur that doctors warned that the possibility of congenital heart disease. Often these are some other signs such as skin color (pale, gray, bluish), rate of breathing or shortness of breath, chest shape, swollen eyelids, and so on. As diagnostic methods used electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiogram (heart ultrasound examination waves), X-ray of the lungs and heart, and some others. All these procedures may indicate the need for additional tests, such as a heart catheterization. This procedure requires a hospital stay, and it can accurately determine the type and degree of damage.

For heart disease is common to increase with increasing height and weight of children and in children with Down's syndrome often leads to weakening of muscle tone and developmental delay in motor skills (eg, late in learning crawling, standing, walking, etc.). . These symptoms often lessen after surgical correction of heart disease.