INFORMATION AND LINKS
Down Syndrome is a condition in which a person has an extra chromosome. Chromosomes are small “packages” of genes in the body. They determine how a baby’s body forms and functions as it grows during pregnancy and after birth. Typically, a baby is born with 46 chromosomes. Babies with Down Syndrome have an extra copy of one of these chromosomes, chromosome 21.
*Definition taken from the CDC website.
Many children with Down Syndrome are subject to heart problems than can require surgery at a young age.
Some will have trouble eating and require a tube be connected to their stomach for feeding. Many are non-verbal and can have a host of other physical problems such as hearing loss, sleep apnea, ear infections, inability to swallow and visual problems.