D OWN ’ S S YNDROME By: Leo Scholten & Cole Hayes
B ACKGROUND /H ISTORY John Langdon Down first identified it as a mental disability in In 1959, Jerome Lejeune discovered that Down’s Syndrome occurred due to an extra chromosome.
W HAT HAPPENS TO THOSE WHO HAVE DOWN ’ S SYNDROME People who have Down’s Syndrome have an increased risk for such medical conditions as congenital heart defects, respiratory and hearing problems, Alzheimer’s disease, and childhood leukemia. There are also physical disabilities that are prevalent in those who have Down’s Syndrome.
H OW IS DOWN ’ S SYNDROME PASSED ON Down’s Syndrome is caused by a chromosomal mutation. Down’s Syndrome is caused by a mistake in cell division during the development of the sperm, egg, or embryo.
O THER FACTS About 1 in every 700 babies each year are born with Down’s Syndrome within the United States. There are more than 400,000 people with Down’s Syndrome in the United States, according to The National Down Syndrome Society. The age of the mother has an effect on the chances of the child having Down’s Syndrome. A woman at the age of 30 has a chance of 1/1,000 to have a child with Down’s Syndrom as opposed to a woman whose age is 40 who has a chance of 1/100.
C ITATIONS Ward, Conor. "History of Down's Syndrome." â Intellectual Disability. N.p., Web. 19 Feb "What Is Down Syndrome." What Is Down Syndrome. Tri-State Down Syndrome Support Group, n.d. Web. 19 Feb "Down Syndrome Background." Down Syndrome Background. Disease.com, n.d. Web. 19 Feb "Birth Defects." Down Syndrome | Baby | March of Dimes. March of Dimes, July Web. 19 Feb