What is it like living with Down syndrome?

What is it like living with Down syndrome?

People with Down syndrome can feel angry, sad, embarrassed or excited. In fact, rather than always being happy, people with Down syndrome are at higher risk of mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive behaviour than the general population.

Can a person with Down syndrome live like a normal being?

Reality: The average life expectancy for a person with Down syndrome is nearly 60 years old. Some people with Down syndrome have lived into their 80s. It is true that people with Down syndrome on average don’t live as long as their typical counterparts.

What are the behaviors of Down syndrome?

The most common mental health concerns include: general anxiety, repetitive and obsessive-compulsive behaviors; oppositional, impulsive, and inattentive behaviors; sleep related difficulties; depression; autism spectrum conditions; and neuropsychological problems characterized by progressive loss of cognitive skills.

Does Down syndrome affect lifespan?

Today the average lifespan of a person with Down syndrome is approximately 60 years. As recently as 1983, the average lifespan of a person with Down syndrome was 25 years. The dramatic increase to 60 years is largely due to the end of the inhumane practice of institutionalizing people with Down syndrome.

Can you date someone with Down syndrome?

RELATIONSHIPS GIVE EVERYONE a chance to love and be loved, avoid loneliness and depression, and gain self-esteem — and people with Down syndrome have the same right to these relationships as typical teens and adults.

Do Down syndrome have periods?

Do girls and women with Down syndrome have normal menstrual periods? Menstruation for girls and women with Down syndrome is no different than for their peers in the general population. On the average, they begin menstruating at age 12 1/2, but may begin as early as age 10 or as late as age 14.