Additionally, we have found that many adults with Down syndrome rely on self-talk to vent feelings such as sadness or frustration. They think out loud in order to process daily life events. This is because their speech or cognitive impairments inhibit communication.
It is mostly done as a coping mechanism for not being able to express their emotions effectively, or not having the friends to communicate their day with, not having the capabilities to speak effectively and not being able to process the day's information systematically.
Most adults with Down syndrome are aware they have Down syndrome. Children with Down syndrome live ordinary lives filled with extraordinary needs. You cannot have mild or severe Down syndrome.
In a study of self-awareness among 77 children with DS using interviews, standardized tests, and photographs, over half were considered to have some level of self-awareness about their diagnosis but 13% refused to talk about their condition during their interviews [Cunningham and Glenn, 2004].
Psychotic symptoms have, however, been reported in hospitalized or clinic adult patients with Down syndrome and in older adults with dementia. For example, auditory hallucinations were reported in 45% of 22 adult patients with Down syndrome and depression [30], and Urv et al.
Those with Down syndrome nearly always have physical and intellectual disabilities. As adults, their mental abilities are typically similar to those of an 8- or 9-year-old. At the same time, their emotional and social awareness is very high.
People with Down syndrome can expect to live to 60
In the 1940s, a child with Down syndrome had a life expectancy of 12 years. These days, their life expectancy is 60 years and a baby born with Down syndrome could live into their 80s — in line with the general population.
It is a common birth defect, the most frequent and recognizable form of intellectual disabilities (ID), appearing in about one out of every 700 newborns. The average intelligence quotient (IQ) of children with DS is around 50, ranging between 30 and 70.
Research suggests that all children with Down syndrome experience impaired vision to varying degrees. Early detection, treatment and effective support are vital to minimise the impact of poor eyesight on development and learning.
Why do people with Down syndrome look the same? They have similar features due to extra genetic material that affects growth of the maxilla (part of the skull) and the bone, cartilage, and connective tissue in the head, known as the cranial neural crest.
Some people with Down's syndrome will experience a delayed response to grief; this can be up to six months or more after their loss. It may be that some people with Down's syndrome struggle, and therefore take longer, to understand the finality of death and their own thoughts and feelings.
There have been only a few reports of men with Down's syndrome fathering children. Again, if a man's partner did not have Down's syndrome, the chance that the baby would have the condition is 50%. If both partners have Down's syndrome there is a high chance of their children having the condition.
Misconception: People who have Down syndrome cannot have children. Reality: It's true that a person with Down syndrome may have significant challenges in rearing a child. But women who have Down syndrome are fertile and can give birth to children.
Self-talking, or talking to yourself, is very common in children and adults with Down syndrome. This behavior often makes families worried. Try not to worry! Self-talking is normal and also serves a very useful purpose.
Many of the systemic body differences that affect people with Down syndrome due to trisomy 21 have knock-on effects on speech development. The development of speech is affected by hearing, muscle tone, facial shape differences, and challenges with learning and memory.
Common conditions encountered in adults with DS include: AD, epilepsy, mood and behavioral disorders, visual and hearing impairment, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and autoimmune diseases, such as thyroiditis and celiac disease.
They often have mild to moderate intellectual disability and may have specific challenges with attention span, verbal memory, and expressive communication. Behavioral problems such as stubbornness, impulsivity, and temper tantrums may be more common in children with Down syndrome.
Although women older than 35 years of age make up a small portion of all births6 in the United States each year, about nearly one-half of babies with Down syndrome are born to women in this age group.
Down Syndrome Learning Strengths
High capacity for empathy and social understanding. Strong visual short-term memory. Steady vocabulary acquisition. Age-appropriate self-help and daily living skills.
Even though people with Down syndrome might act and look similar, each person has different abilities. People with Down syndrome usually have an IQ (a measure of intelligence) in the mildly-to-moderately low range and are slower to speak than other children.
In almost all cases, Down's syndrome does not run in families. Your chance of having a baby with Down's syndrome increases as you get older, but anyone can have a baby with Down's syndrome. Speak to a GP if you want to find out more.
Adults with Down syndrome often die at earlier ages than their peers in the general population. This data slice describes increased risk of death across different age groups from Dementia/Alzheimer's, Influenza/Pneumonia, and Pneumonitis for adults with Down syndrome.
One in every 691 babies in the U.S. is born with Down syndrome, making it the most common chromosomal condition. There are more than 400,000 people living with Down syndrome in the U.S. In 1983, the average life expectancy of a person with Down syndrome was a mere 25-years-old. Today, it's 60.
There are three types of Down syndrome: trisomy 21 (nondisjunction), translocation and mosaicism. Trisomy 21 (nondisjunction) accounts for 95% of known cases of Down syndrome.