Medical Characteristics
The life expectancy for individuals with Down’s syndrome has grown remarkably since the 1950s. This is due to advances in medical technology, social sciences and the quality of life for people with Down’s syndrome.
Some comorbidity factors that occur in people with Down’s syndrome include:
· Thyroid deficiency, this will result in individuals with Down’s syndrome having less energy and sleepiness
· People with Down’s syndrome often have a lower immunity then others, especially during childhood. They are often susceptible to illnesses when other people are not.
· 40%-50% of individuals born with Down’s syndrome will have a congenital heart defect. Some individuals will have surgery to correct this and some may not require surgery.
· 75% of individuals with Down’s syndrome will have impaired vision and or hearing at some point. It is recommended that they undergo regular testing
· Around 10% of individuals born with Down’s syndrome will have a gastrointestinal malformation. This can be corrected through surgery.
· Individuals with Down’s syndrome may develop symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease around the age of 35.
Again it is important to remember that people who have Down’s syndrome are all individuals and may display varying degrees of these medical characteristics or may not display some at all.
Some comorbidity factors that occur in people with Down’s syndrome include:
· Thyroid deficiency, this will result in individuals with Down’s syndrome having less energy and sleepiness
· People with Down’s syndrome often have a lower immunity then others, especially during childhood. They are often susceptible to illnesses when other people are not.
· 40%-50% of individuals born with Down’s syndrome will have a congenital heart defect. Some individuals will have surgery to correct this and some may not require surgery.
· 75% of individuals with Down’s syndrome will have impaired vision and or hearing at some point. It is recommended that they undergo regular testing
· Around 10% of individuals born with Down’s syndrome will have a gastrointestinal malformation. This can be corrected through surgery.
· Individuals with Down’s syndrome may develop symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease around the age of 35.
Again it is important to remember that people who have Down’s syndrome are all individuals and may display varying degrees of these medical characteristics or may not display some at all.