FAQ

Has an extra copy of chromosome 21?

Has an extra copy of chromosome 21?

Affected individuals with this genetic change are said to have translocation Down syndrome. In a very small percentage of cases, Down syndrome results from an extra copy of chromosome 21 in only some of the body’s cells. In these people, the condition is called mosaic Down syndrome.

How many pairs of chromosomes does a Down Syndrome person have?

Most people have 23 pairs of chromosomes, for a total of 46. But a baby with Down syndrome has an extra chromosome (47 instead of 46) or one chromosome has an extra part. This extra genetic material causes problems with the way their bodies develop.

Do all cases of Down syndrome have a complete extra chromosome?

Almost all Down syndrome cases result from complete trisomy 21. Mosaic trisomy 21. Not every cell in the body is exactly the same. In a small percentage (less than 5%) of Down syndrome cases, most of the cells in the body have the extra chromosome, but some of them don’t.

Is it OK to say downs instead of Down syndrome?

A person with Down syndrome has many other qualities and attributes that can be used to describe them. Encourage people to use People-First Language. “The person with Down syndrome”, not “the Down syndrome person.” A person with Down syndrome is not “a Downs”.

Can you still say Down syndrome?

Instead of describing someone as “a Down syndrome child,” it should be “a child with Down syndrome.” This is called “person first” language and takes care to put the emphasis on a person, not a disability. Describing the condition as “Down’s”, i.e. “He has Down’s,” or a child as a “Down’s child” should also be avoided.

What disease is a risk for an adult with Down syndrome?

Adults with Down syndrome have increased risk of death from Dementia/Alzheimer’s beginning at earlier ages, and from Influenza/Pneumonia and Pneumonitis across the life course.

At what age are people with Down syndrome more likely to develop dementia from?

As with all adults, advancing age also increases the chances a person with Down syndrome will develop Alzheimer’s disease. According to the National Down Syndrome Society, about 30% of people with Down syndrome who are in their 50s have Alzheimer’s dementia.

Category: FAQ

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