7 Tips for Caring for a Child with Down Syndrome
Never Stop Learning. One of the best things you can do is to research the chromosomal condition as much as you can. …
Have a Plan. …
Help Their Growth and Development. …
Join a Support Group. …
Let Your Child Be in Control (Sometimes) …
Have a Set Routine. …
Make Time for Self-Care.
18.07.2019
Is it hard to take care of a baby with Down syndrome?
Every baby born with Down syndrome is different. As your new baby grows, you’ll need to pay special attention to his or her physical and intellectual development. Your baby also may have some health problems that require extra care. Not all babies born with Down syndrome have health problems.
How do babies with Down syndrome behave?
Infants with Down syndrome show early delays in motor development, particularly regarding milestones such as reaching, grasping, and walking. Across their lifespan, they are vulnerable to problems in goal-directed behavior.
How hard is it to raise a child with Down syndrome?
It’s common for parents of babies with Down syndrome to experience shock, sadness and fear over the unknowns of raising a child who has intellectual and developmental disabilities. Serious health problems can add to the panic; about half of all children born with Down syndrome have heart defects.
Can babies with Down syndrome live a normal life?
Most kids with Down syndrome will live a normal life
Although they will experience learning and developmental delays — and possibly health problems — children born with Down syndrome can grow up to be independent.
Do babies with Down syndrome sleep a lot?
Babies with Down syndrome may find it harder to develop sleep patterns, get to sleep and stay asleep because their physical features (narrow upper airways, larger tongues and low muscle tone) can make them wake more frequently and make deeper sleep harder to come by.
Do babies with Down syndrome cry a lot?
Their smiles were also found to be shorter, and less discriminative between the two face-to-face conditions. The non-handicapped infants showed significantly more cry/distress vocalizations in the immobile than in the mobile condition, while the reverse was found for the Down’s syndrome infants.
How long does it take for a child with Down syndrome to talk?
Most children with Down syndrome do not begin to babble or “talk to themselves” until around 10 months of age.
At what age does a child with Down syndrome walk?
For example the average age for walking in typically developing children is 13 months and the range is 9-17 months, while the average age for walking in children with Down syndrome is 24 months and the range is 13-48 months.
When do Down syndrome babies smile?
Social development
Babies with Down syndrome look at faces and smile only a week or two later than other children and they are usually sociable infants. Infants with Down syndrome enjoy communicating and make good use of non-verbal skills including babbling and gesture in social situations.
What are the behaviors of Down syndrome?
The most common mental health concerns in individuals with Down syndrome include anxiety, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, oppositional behaviors, depression, and tic disorder.
How do you talk to a child with Down syndrome?
Other topics might include talking about using person-first language and not using the “R-word” and how to be a friend. Presenting facts about Down syndrome or writing a letter about your child that would be shared with parents of your child’s classmates are also effective ways to deliver your message.
What are the 3 types of Down syndrome?
Types of Down Syndrome
- Trisomy 21: About 95% of people with Down syndrome have Trisomy 21.
- Translocation Down syndrome: This type accounts for a small percentage of people with Down syndrome (about 3%).
- Mosaic Down syndrome: This type affects about 2% of the people with Down syndrome.
What is the main problem of Down syndrome?
Potentially serious complications — The most serious complications of Down syndrome include heart defects, blood disorders that can include leukemia (cancer of the blood), and immune system problems. Heart defects — Approximately half of all babies with Down syndrome are born with (often repairable) heart defects.
What gender is affected by Down syndrome?
Overall, the two sexes are affected roughly equally. The male-to-female ratio is slightly higher (approximately 1.15:1) in newborns with Down syndrome, but this effect is restricted to neonates with free trisomy 21.
What gender is Down syndrome most common in?
Down syndrome appears to be more common among boys than girls, the study indicates. The condition is also seen more frequently in Hispanic children at birth, though the number of these children appears to level off with that of white children as they age. Black children appear less likely to have Down syndrome.
Can you sleep train a baby with Down syndrome?
As is recommended with all babies, establishing a relaxing, consistent bedtime routine is key in helping your little one fall asleep. Though it can be more challenging to get this established with a baby born with Down syndrome, it absolutely can be done!
Why does my baby have Down syndrome?
Down syndrome is usually caused by an error in cell division called “nondisjunction.” Nondisjunction results in an embryo with three copies of chromosome 21 instead of the usual two. Prior to or at conception, a pair of 21st chromosomes in either the sperm or the egg fails to separate.
How do you put a child with Down syndrome to sleep?
Children with Down syndrome sleep poorly and have more fragmented sleep
- Follow a consistent bedtime routine.
- Establish a relaxing setting at bedtime.
- Interact with your child at bedtime.
- Keep your children from TV programs, movies, and video games that are not right for their age.
Do Down syndrome babies laugh?
Most of the children in the Down syndrome group (but few in the autism group) were reported to sometimes try to join in others’ laughter by laughing themselves.
Can you breastfeed a baby with Down syndrome?
Breastfeeding a baby with Down syndrome is not only possible, but provides important benefits to both mother and child. 1. Human milk will boost your baby’s immune system and protect against numerous auto-immune disorders such as celiac disease, asthma, and allergies.
Do Down syndrome babies make eye contact?
In populations with developmental disorders, infants with Down’s syndrome begin making eye-contact later than normal infant, but then sustain it for longer periods of time, while infants with ASD tend to avoid eye-contact altogether.
What are the activities for Down syndrome?
10 Fine Motor Activities to try at Home
- Playing with Musical Instruments. Music is a motivating way to improve fine motor skills, and there are lots of options depending on skill level.
- Sorting Activities. Lots of children enjoy sorting games.
- Playing with Dough.
- Stickers.
- Posting Games.
- Building Blocks.
- Drawing.
- Puzzles.
How can I help my child with Down syndrome speech?
Use both spoken and sign language to encourage communication. Take training to support their oral-motor development through feeding activities. Children with Down syndrome may require additional support during feeding activities due to the atypical structure of their articulators.
Are walkers good for babies with Down syndrome?
Physiotherapists DO NOT recommend babywalkers or bouncers for any children, particularly those with developmental difficulties or altered muscle tone. Babywalkers have been proven not to enhance development and may actually impair it.
Is Down syndrome a disability?
Down syndrome is the most common genetic cause of intellectual disability, affecting approximately 1 in every 700 children. It is named for John Langdon Down, the British physician who first recognized the traits of Down syndrome in 1866.
What is a mild case of Down syndrome?
People with mosaic Down syndrome have a mixture of cells. Some have two copies of chromosome 21, and some have three. Mosaic Down syndrome occurs in about 2 percent of all Down syndrome cases. People with mosaic Down syndrome often, but not always, have fewer symptoms of Down syndrome because some cells are normal.
How do you calm someone with Down syndrome?
These five strategies tend to work well for individuals with Down syndrome.
- Routine. Routine and structure are important for any child, but this is especially true for children with Down syndrome (DS).
- Reward.
- Choice.
- Redirection.
- Consistency.
Do Down syndrome kids talk to themselves?
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.
Can people with Down syndrome be smart?
scores for people with Down syndrome vary, with the average cognitive delays being mild to moderate, not severe. In fact, normal intelligence is possible.
What should you not tell a parent of a Down syndrome child?
The following suggestions are based upon the input of many parents of children with Down syndrome. THINGS NOT TO SAY – These are the things that parents have said really upset or angered them: “I’m sorry” or any form of pity. Pity is not what new parents want or need.
What part of the body does Down syndrome affect?
Down syndrome, the most common chromosome-related genetic condition in the U.S., affects development of the brain and body. People with Down syndrome face physical and mental challenges, but can lead full and happy lives.
What are 3 interesting facts about Down syndrome?
Facts About Down Syndrome
- Down syndrome occurs in approximately one in 700 births.
- There are three types of Down syndrome.
- Down syndrome has been depicted in historical paintings from the 15th and 16th centuries.
- Prenatal screening for Down syndrome is available.
- Other health problems can occur with Down syndrome.
What happens if Down syndrome test is positive?
A screen positive result means that you are in a group with an increased likelihood of having a baby with an open neural tube defect. If the result is screen positive, you will be offered an ultrasound examination after 16 weeks of pregnancy, and possibly an amniocentesis.
How are Down syndrome babies different?
At birth, babies with Down syndrome are often smaller than other newborns, and they tend to grow at a slower rate and remain shorter than their peers. Toddlers and older kids may have delays in speech and self-care skills like feeding, dressing, and using the toilet.
Does father’s age affect Down syndrome?
The rate of Down syndrome for both maternal and paternal age greater than 40 years is approximately 60 per 10,000 births, which is a six-fold increase compared with maternal and paternal ages less than 35 years of age.
What is the most common cause of death in Down syndrome?
Heart and lung diseases are the leading causes of death for persons with Down syndrome. Pneumonia and infectious lung disease, congenital heart defect (CHD) and circulatory disease (vascular diseases not including CHD or ischaemic heart disease) account for ∼75% of all deaths in persons with Down syndrome.
What race is most affected by Down syndrome?
Results: The odds ratio and population attributable risk of Down syndrome due to maternal age of 35 years or older were highest for Mexican Americans, intermediate for African Americans, and lowest for non-Hispanic Whites.
Does Down syndrome run in the family?
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.
Can stress cause Down syndrome?
Down syndrome, which arises from a chromosome defect, is likely to have a direct link with the increase in stress levels seen in couples during the time of conception, say Surekha Ramachandran, founder of Down Syndrome Federation of India, who has been studying about the same ever since her daughter was diagnosed with …
What are the symptoms of Down syndrome in pregnancy?
Some common physical signs of Down syndrome include:
Flat face with an upward slant to the eyes. Short neck. Abnormally shaped or small ears. Protruding tongue.
Do people with Down syndrome sleep a lot?
Sleep problems are very frequent in people with Down syndrome (DS). Insomnia, excessive daytime sleepiness, and abnormal movements during sleep are present during their whole lifespan [1,2].
Are Down syndrome babies good sleepers?
Quality sleep is particularly hard to achieve for children with Down syndrome, where symptoms often persist into adulthood. According to the National Institute of Health, 76% of children with Down syndrome experience difficulty with the onset of sleep, their quality of REM sleep, and their ability to stay asleep.
What do you do with a newborn all day?
giving your baby different things to look at and feel while talking to them. giving your baby supervised tummy time each day. making sounds.
Ideas for playing include:
- making eye contact, smiling and talking.
- singing nursery rhymes.
- taking your baby for a walk.
- reading or telling them a story.
- making faces.
- blowing raspberries.
How long do Down syndrome people live?
Jul 21, 2021. Over 6,000 babies are born with Down syndrome in the United States each year. As recently as 1983, a person with Down syndrome lived to be only 25 years old on average. Today, the average life expectancy of a person with Down syndrome is nearly 60 years and continuing to climb.
Can Down syndrome be cured?
Down syndrome cannot be cured. Early treatment programs can help improve skills. They may include speech, physical, occupational, and/or educational therapy. With support and treatment, many people with Down syndrome live happy, productive lives.
What is sleep apnea in Down syndrome?
Sleep apnea causes repeated instances of difficulty breathing during sleep which can lead to decreased oxygen levels and frequent waking. There are two main types of sleep apnea: obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and central sleep apnea (CSA).
Can kids with Down syndrome take melatonin?
We highlight that melatonin mediates its immune response through a wide array of mechanisms, its effects appear to be dose dependant and children with Down syndrome may be more receptive to treatment with it.
What’s the meaning of sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts. If you snore loudly and feel tired even after a full night’s sleep, you might have sleep apnea. The main types of sleep apnea are: Obstructive sleep apnea, the more common form that occurs when throat muscles relax.
Do Downs babies cry?
Their smiles were also found to be shorter, and less discriminative between the two face-to-face conditions. The non-handicapped infants showed significantly more cry/distress vocalizations in the immobile than in the mobile condition, while the reverse was found for the Down’s syndrome infants.
When do babies with Down syndrome sit up?
For example a typical child may sit up from 5-9 months, but a child born with down syndrome has a span of 8-16 months.
What is it like raising a child with Down syndrome?
It’s common for parents of babies with Down syndrome to experience shock, sadness and fear over the unknowns of raising a child who has intellectual and developmental disabilities. Serious health problems can add to the panic; about half of all children born with Down syndrome have heart defects.
How much do Down syndrome babies weigh?
Many factors can affect how long a person with Down syndrome lives. Sometimes infants with Down syndrome are born weighing less than 1,500 grams, or about 3.3 pounds.
Do Down syndrome babies stick their tongue out?
Speech Development
Young babies often stick out their tongues and babies with Down’s syndrome seem to do so more. Whenever you notice his tongue sticking out, pop it back into his mouth with your finger and soon your baby will learn to do this for himself.
Do Down syndrome babies eat more?
But because babies with Down syndrome have thicker tongues with low muscle tone, it may take them longer to learn how to coordinate the tongue and jaw movements necessary to consume solid foods. This means feeding times may go on for a while.
At what age do babies with Down syndrome smile?
Social development
Babies with Down syndrome look at faces and smile only a week or two later than other children and they are usually sociable infants. Infants with Down syndrome enjoy communicating and make good use of non-verbal skills including babbling and gesture in social situations.
How do Down syndrome kids talk?
Difficulties speaking clearly – Children with Down syndrome typically babble like other children. However, they do not move on to attempt to say words but tend to use more gestures for longer than other children with a similar level of understanding.
Can you have mild Down syndrome?
Each person with Down syndrome is an individual — intellectual and developmental problems may be mild, moderate or severe. Some people are healthy while others have significant health problems such as serious heart defects.