Developmental delay in children with Down syndrome

Down syndrome is a chromosomal abnormality, so every pregnant woman has the possibility of giving birth to a child with Down syndrome. The probability of having a baby with Down syndrome increases with the age of the pregnant woman. Children with Down syndrome have mental retardation, are unable to take care of themselves, and suffer from complex cardiovascular diseases, requiring long-term care from their families. So what are the symptoms of language delay in children with Down syndrome?

The following are many potential problems that Down syndrome babies may encounter. Children and their families can carefully understand them and take appropriate measures.

1. Mental retardation: The IQ level of Down syndrome babies is generally significantly lower than that of normal babies, their language development is delayed, and their motor and language skills develop slowly. They learn to sit, stand, walk and speak very late. Generally, he doesn't cry, make noise or make a fuss. Even if he is hungry, has a dry mouth or needs to go to the toilet, he is very quiet.

2. Heart defects: About 40% of Down syndrome children suffer from congenital heart growth and development problems. But most of them can be corrected through surgery.

3. Gastrointestinal defects: About 4% of Down syndrome children have intestinal obstruction, also known as duodenal atresia, which must be cleared surgically before food can pass.

4. Hypothyroidism: About 10% of children with Down syndrome will experience this problem. Suffering from this disease, Down syndrome will increase with the age of the child, and the examination will not be obvious. Therefore, thyroid hormone tests should be performed every two years for children with Down syndrome.

5. Eye problems: Many children with Down syndrome have eye problems such as strabismus, nearsightedness, farsightedness and cataracts.

6. English listening problems: About 50% of Down syndrome children also have varying degrees of English listening problems, which is related to their susceptibility to otitis media.

7. Cervical instability: About 10% of Down syndrome children have unstable neck (and neck connection position). These children are prone to damage the spinal nerves due to shaking during sports that involve contact with others. All children with Down syndrome should have a cervical spine X-ray before participating in any contact sports.

8. Easy to catch cold: Because babies have low immunity and small nasal cavity, they are more prone to sinusitis and otitis media, and are more likely to catch a cold. The incidence of acute leukemia is about 20 times higher than that of general children and adolescents.

9. Low life expectancy: The patients’ food, clothing, housing and transportation were extremely low before, but now the average life expectancy of patients has increased to 50 years, which is only lower than that of ordinary people.

Babies with Down syndrome cannot be cured at present, and prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome is the key to preventing the birth of children with Down syndrome. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out Down syndrome screening in the second trimester, especially for women with consanguineous marriages, pregnant women over 35 years old, mothers who have given birth to mothers with chromosomal abnormalities, and mothers who have had multiple miscarriages or stillbirths.