Down Syndrome: Long Term Outlook

When a child is diagnosed with Down syndrome, he or she will have Down syndrome forever. There is no cure, no way of fixing what’s broken, and no drug that can be taken to make things better. This does not mean the child is hopeless. On the contrary, most Down syndrome children bring joy to their families and the people around them.

Though you can’t cure Down syndrome, you can ensure the best possible medical care for children afflicted with this disease. The first thing you need to do for your child is to have a complete physical. Down syndrome is most commonly associated with the mental retardation that comes along with the disorder, but profound physical issues also come with Down syndrome. For instance, most children born with Down syndrome have kidney and heart abnormalities, and in about half of all cases, the child will have a congenital heart condition serious enough to require medical intervention of some sort, either drugs, physical rehabilitation, and/or surgery. Down syndrome children often have a thyroid issue, and should be tested for hypothyroidism by the age of three, younger if they fail to thrive. They also need to get plenty of exercise; Down syndrome causes children to have underdeveloped muscles.

After addressing physical issues, Down syndrome children need to have developmental problems addressed. All Down syndrome children have mental retardation to one point or another, ranging from mild to serious. To treat this, the parents should work closely with a doctor and a therapist, as well as joining a parent support group. Other parents who’ve gone through this before will prove to be the best possible resources for Down syndrome information. Children should also be tested for auditory and visual abnormalities as early as possible, and retested frequently. As soon as the child enters school, the parents should meet with school administrators and teachers to develop an individual education plan (IEP) so that the child’s educational progress can be monitored closely.

Socially, Down syndrome children are generally quite happy; but children being what they are, parents should keep up with what’s going on in their child’s life.

Down syndrome adults can often work in a sheltered workshop setting, and can even live semi-independently. Down syndrome girls have a fifty percent chance of passing the disease on to any children; most Down syndrome boys are infertile. Persons afflicted with Down syndrome have an average lifespan of about 55 years.