Down syndrome how many people

But one-third of translocation cases are hereditary, accounting for about 1 percent of all cases of Down syndrome. That means the genetic material that can lead to Down syndrome is passed from parent to child. Both parents can be carriers of the translocation Down syndrome genes without showing any signs or symptoms of Down syndrome.

If a woman has one child with the condition, her risk for having a second child with the syndrome is about 1 in up until age The risk of having a second child with the translocation type of Down syndrome is about 10 to 15 percent if the mother carries the genes.

If the father is the carrier, however, the risk is about 3 percent. Likewise, a congenital heart defect is one of the greatest predictors of death before age New developments in heart surgery, however, are helping people with the condition live longer.

Compared to children without Down syndrome, children with Down syndrome are at higher risk for complications that include hearing loss — up to 75 percent may be affected — and eye diseases, like cataracts — up to 60 percent.

However, each person will have different degrees of the characteristics, and some of the features may not appear at all.

According to one national survey in , only 57 percent of adults with Down syndrome were employed, and only 3 percent were full-time paid employees. More than 25 percent of respondents were volunteers, almost 3 percent were self-employed, and 30 percent were unemployed. Moreover, the highest percentage of people worked in the restaurant or food industry and in janitorial and cleaning services, even though a large majority of adults reported that they use computers.

From to , the rate of death for a person born with Down syndrome during their first year of life fell by about 41 percent. At the turn of the 20th century, children with Down syndrome rarely lived past 9 years old.

Now, thanks to advancements in treatment, the majority of people with the condition will live to age Some may live even longer. Treatment programs often include physical, speech, and occupational therapies, life skills classes, and educational opportunities. Many schools and foundations offer highly specialized classes and programs for children and adults with Down syndrome. While Down syndrome remains the most common chromosomal disorder that children are born with in the United States today, the future is getting brighter for them.

People with the condition are prospering, and their lifespans are increasing thanks to the improvement of treatments and therapies. Moreover, an increase in understanding of the preventive measures and complications associated with the condition are allowing caregivers, educators, and doctors to anticipate and plan for a longer future.

Jen Thomas is a journalist and media strategist based in San Francisco. Jen is also a competitive Ultimate Frisbee player, a decent rock climber, a lapsed runner, and an aspiring aerial performer. Mosaic Down syndrome is a rare, less severe form of Down syndrome. Down syndrome is the most frequently occurring chromosomal disorder and the leading cause of intellectual and developmental delay in the U. Down syndrome has nothing to do with race, nationality, socioeconomic status, religion, or anything the mother or father did during pregnancy.

Between two and four percent of the time, a person is born with Mosaic translocation Down syndrome mDs whereby some but not all of the cells have an extra copy of the 21 st chromosome and the other cells are not affected. Translocation happens when a piece of chromosome 21 becomes attached to another chromosome during cell division.

In the case of hereditary Translocation Down syndrome a rare one to two percent of all people with Down syndrome , an extra chromosome 21 is inherited from one of the parents.

Surprisingly, The population of people in the US with Down syndrome is currently unknown. What we do know is:. Today the average lifespan of a person with Down syndrome is approximately 60 years. Most children with DS function in the mild to moderate range of cognitive impairment. People with Down syndrome have physical and intellectual delays from birth but there is a wide variety of abilities within the population that are impossible to predict ahead of time.

By law, people with Down syndrome in the U. A small but growing number of people with Down syndrome are choosing to get married and live together. There is also evidence of an increased risk of celiac disease, autism, childhood leukemia and seizures. It is rare for a person with Down syndrome to have a solid tumor cancer or cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke.

Although children and adults with Down syndrome may share some common features, they look more like their immediate family members than like each other. Appropriate medical care for children and adults with Down syndrome is very important. Early intervention for babies with Down syndrome is very important. It is understandable that parents are concerned about how a child with Down syndrome will affect their family, including siblings.

Every family is unique and may deal with the idea of, or the birth of, a baby with Down syndrome differently. Despite potential challenges, personal accounts and studies show that many families that have a child with Down syndrome are stable, successful and happy, and that siblings often have increased tolerance, compassion and awareness.

In fact, a major study on marriages and Down syndrome shows the divorce rate among parents of children with Down syndrome is lower than the national average. Global Down Syndrome Foundation together with the National Down Syndrome Congress have created a pamphlet for pregnant women that addresses questions related to prenatal testing for Down syndrome.

Children with Down syndrome may also need extra help or attention in school, although many children are included in regular classes. The views of these organizations are their own and do not reflect the official position of CDC. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Birth Defects. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate.

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