Down Syndrome Awareness Month: 5 key questions answered

As October marks World Down Syndrome Awareness Month, it’s an opportune clip to larn and enactment those with the condition.

About 5,700 babies are calved successful the U.S. with Down syndrome each year, and much than 400,000 radical successful the state presently unrecorded with it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The beingness expectancy of those with the information has accrued dramatically implicit the years. In 1983, it was conscionable 25 years old, but it is present 60, per the Global Down Syndrome Foundation.

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Below is everything you request to cognize astir Down syndrome and however you tin assistance dispersed consciousness astir it. 

October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month astir the world. About 5,700 babies are calved successful the U.S. with Down syndrome each year. (iStock)

1. What is Down syndrome?
2. What are the symptoms of Down syndrome?
3. Why is National Down Syndrome Awareness Month important?
4. What ribbon represents Down syndrome?
5. How bash you observe Down Syndrome Awareness Month?

1. What is Down syndrome?

Down syndrome is simply a information successful which a babe is calved with an other chromosome. 

Chromosomes find however the assemblage forms and functions. Those calved with an other chromosome acquisition changes successful the mode the assemblage and encephalon develop.

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A babe is typically calved with 46 chromosomes. A babe with Down syndrome has a afloat oregon partial transcript of chromosome 21.

The astir communal benignant of Down syndrome is trisomy 21, which accounts for 95% of each cases. 

Down syndrome is simply a information successful which a babe is calved with an other chromosome. The astir communal benignant of Down syndrome is trisomy 21, which accounts for 95% of each cases. (iStock)

Less communal types of Down syndrome are translocation (caused by rearranged chromosome material) and mosaicism (when determination is simply a substance of 2 types of cells). 

There are nary known ways to forestall the information during gestation and nary known basal causes, experts say.

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One hazard origin associated with Down syndrome is the age of the mother — for a 25-year-old large woman, the likelihood are astir 1 successful 1,250. At property 40, they are 1 successful 100, statistic show.

2. What are the symptoms of Down syndrome?

There are some carnal and developmental symptoms of Down syndrome. 

Physical symptoms see a flattened face; shorter height; abbreviated neck; tiny ears, hands and feet; and decreased musculus tone, according to the CDC.

Physical symptoms see a flattened face; shorter height; abbreviated neck; tiny ears, hands and feet; and decreased musculus tone, according to the CDC. (BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Developmental symptoms see a abbreviated attraction span, impulsive behavior, dilatory learning and delayed code development. 

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While these are each communal symptoms, not each kid with Down syndrome volition show each 1 of these traits.

3. Why is National Down Syndrome Awareness Month important?

National Down Syndrome Awareness Month promotes acquisition astir the condition. (Anda Chu/Digital First Media/The Mercury News via Getty Images)

National Down Syndrome Awareness Month is "a period to rise consciousness and observe the galore abilities of our loved ones with Down syndrome," according to the National Down Syndrome Society, which created the occasion successful the 1980s. 

"Down syndrome is 1 of the astir communal types of intelligence disabilities," states the Special Olympics website.

"Down syndrome is 1 of the astir communal types of intelligence disabilities."

"So, it’s nary astonishment that each twelvemonth successful October, we admit Down Syndrome Awareness Month to rise nationalist consciousness astir the information and advocator for acceptance and inclusion of radical with Down syndrome."

"People with Down syndrome inactive look stereotypes and myths, but they’ve shown clip and again that the information is conscionable 1 portion of who they are and doesn’t specify them oregon bounds their abilities," the connection continued. 

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"That’s wherefore it’s truthful important that during Down Syndrome Awareness Month and each twelvemonth long, we assistance dispersed the connection of love, acceptance, inclusion and respect." 

4. What ribbon represents Down syndrome?

The Down syndrome consciousness ribbon is bluish and yellow. People tin take to deterioration a bluish and yellowish ribbon passim the period to dispersed awareness.

Some besides take days to deterioration bluish and yellowish covering to dispersed the connection and enactment those with Down syndrome passim the month. 

The Down syndrome consciousness ribbon is bluish and yellow. (iStock)

World Down Syndrome Day is celebrated connected March 21 each twelvemonth – which stands for the tripling of the 21st chromosome (3.21) successful radical with the condition.

5. What tin you bash to observe Down Syndrome Awareness Month?

Educating yourself and others astir Down syndrome is 1 mode to grant the juncture passim the month. You tin amended yourself by speechmaking books and articles and watching documentaries. 

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You tin instrumentality your cognition and dispersed consciousness to others by sharing accusation connected societal media. 

World Down Syndrome Day is celebrated connected March 21 each twelvemonth – which stands for the tripling of the 21st chromosome (3.21) successful radical with the condition. (iStock)

Through the period of October, determination are plentifulness of events, fundraisers and walks astir the state dedicated to Down syndrome awareness. 

You tin besides take to acceptable up a fundraiser of your ain oregon support a section business founded by oregon inspired by individuals with Down syndrome. 

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There are besides galore unpaid opportunities to instrumentality vantage of during this time. GiGi's Playhouse and Special Olympics are 2 examples of organizations that participate.