Complications

Chances of a Baby With Down Syndrome

Unfortunately some babies are born with birth defects or severe health conditions. This may be caused by heredity, family history, or sometimes the lifestyle of the mother to be. This is not always the case though. Sometimes a mom does everything right. She has a well balanced diet with exercise and she takes her prenatal vitamins daily and problems still arise. Sometimes the chromosomes act up and a baby is born with Down's Syndrome.

Down's Syndrome occurs in 1 in about 700 births. This defect is caused by the chromosomes that make up a baby's DNA. A sperm and egg contain 23 chromosomes a piece and when they are combined and meiosis occurs 46 chromosomes are the result. With Down's Syndrome the meiosis is done, but ends up unequal. One cell gets more chromosomes and it lives while the other cell with fewer chromosomes dies. This would mean that when that when the cell is paired with an egg or sperm 47 chromosomes would result and you have Down's Syndrome. There are no specific reasons why this process causes Down's Syndrome.

Babies born with Down's Syndrome tend to have quite a few medical problems. Their hearts do not develop properly which causes problems. The good news is that most of these heart problems can be corrected with surgery. Another issue is with the baby's eyes. Babies with Down's Syndrome develop near and farsightedness, cataracts, and crossed eyes. Also they are more susceptible to middle ear infections. This causes the children to have more problems with their hearing.

Down's Syndrome also causes a decrease in the immune system. For this reason children with this disease may have more colds, sinus, and ear infections. A rare part of Down's Syndrome is duodenal atresia, which is a blockage in the upper intestine. It must be repaired surgically to allow food to pass. Hypothyroidism can also happen if a child suffers from Down's Syndrome. Children with this disease have less than average IQ's. they tend to be slower with learning, especially speech. Their motor skills do not develop as fast as they do in other children. Special classes may be required to keep them up to par with other children. This disease can be monitored and a child can live a happy life. All it takes is dedication from their parents and a smile and a hug. Is that not what kids want anyway?