by Eve Fasham

Created on: June 11, 2008

What is Downs Syndrome?

We all have special needs from time to time in our lives. These needs could be anything from needing a cuddle, being ill or having some form of disability. The needs can either be short or long term, temporary or permanent.
Special needs' is also now the politically correct term used to describe people with disabilities. A person, who needs help in satisfying one or more of the basic human needs, is often described as having special needs. People with physical disabilities have special needs including the need for privacy, freedom of choice and being independent and the need for employment. Other special needs include behaviour disorders, mental health problems, and learning difficulties.

Learning disability is the term used for a person whose brain does not function fully. One of the biggest causes of learning difficulties is Down's syndrome which accounts for one third of all learning disabilities. The name originated from Dr John Langdon Down, who in 1866 first described the condition. It is estimated that 1 in 1000 babies are born with Down's syndrome every year, from all ethnic, cultural, religious and social groups.

The most common form of Down's syndrome is trisomy 21, where the baby is born with an extra chromosome therefore having 47 not 46. It is first diagnosed after birth and suspicions are confirmed by doing a chromosome test. The parents are informed as soon as possible and in many cases the news comes as a devastating shock. A lot of parents wish to know what their baby will be like, but it is impossible at this age to tell as babies with Down's syndrome, like all babies vary greatly. Parents are likely to feel denial and disbelief as well as anxiety and being overprotective towards the child. The mother may be feeling guilty that she possibly did something wrong during the pregnancy. Most parents do end up coping very well, given time, professional support and the chance to share their feelings. Many see having a child with Down's syndrome as a special challenge.

People with Down's syndrome usually have shared physical features as well as the ones they inherit from their parents. These can include:
Slanted eyes, often with a fold of skin in the inner corner of each eye
A rounded face with a flat appearance
Flattening of the back of the head and soft and straight hair
Hypotonia (muscle floppiness), although this reduces as the child gets older
A larger than normal tongue
Broad hands with short fingers and a little finger that

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