Down’s Syndrome, which is also sometimes known as Trisomy 21, is a genetic disease that causes delays in the mental and physical development of a child. The condition was first described by a British doctor, John Langdon Down in the late 19^th century but it was not until 1959 that it was fully understood to be a genetic problem.

Usually when conception occurs a fetus inherits 46 chromosomes from its parents, 23 from its mother and 23 from its father. It was discovered that in the case of a baby born with Down’s Syndrome an extra chromosome is present, 47 instead of 46. The extra genetic material appears to be root cause for all the difficulties and problems faced by an individual with Down’s Syndrome.

There is yet no documented absolute reason for why this extra chromosome should appear or any way to prevent it from occurring. Research has shown for years though that women conceiving after the age of 35 have a significantly higher risk of giving birth to a child with Down’s Syndrome. Statistics have shown that at the age of 30 the risk is 1 in 900, but it leaps to one in 350 five years later. For women 40 and older the risk is currently assessed to rise as high as 1 in 100.

The presence of Down’s Syndrome can be detected before birth, in the early stages of pregnancy, which is why most women over the age of 35 are told by their healthcare providers that screening for Down’s Syndrome be performed.

The severity of the condition varies greatly from child to child. Most do display similar physical differences to other children including a “flatter” face, small ears and a slight upward slant to the eyes. How their mental and physical development will proceed is impossible to predict at birth however.

Children with Down’s Syndrome are usually capable of learning all the same things as their peers, it simply takes them a little longer. Toddlers may be slower to walk or talk but that certainly does not mean that they will never do so, and the same holds true for their academic capabilities.

For some children with Down’s Syndrome life proceeds without them ever suffering from significant health problems. For others though the condition brings with it a host of different medical problems. Almost half the Down’s Syndrome children born every year have some form of congenital heart defect present from birth.  Medical advances however have made it possible that many of these defects can now be fixed with surgery.

Other conditions commonly found in Down’s Syndrome children include thyroid problems, intestinal abnormalities, seizure disorders and respiratory problems. There is also some medical evidence that suggests that such children are also more likely to become obese for reasons that are currently not very clear.