Page 22 - Mobility Management, January/February 2021

ATP Series
A DMITTEDLY, ENTERING MIDDLE
AGE ISN’T EASY, even
for people without disabilities. There are newly random
aches and pains. Longer recoveries after strenuous activities. Dealing with a body that seemingly rebels in a dozen ways as it gets older.
For people with Down syndrome, advancements in medical inter- ventions, therapeutic regimens
and early interventions have led to longer life expectancies and greater independence and function starting in childhood. As people with Down syndrome age, however, new chal- lenges can arise.
DOWN SYNDROME CAUSES & PRESENTATIONS
Down syndrome occurs when a baby is born with a full or partial extra copy of chromosome 21, says the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS, ndss.org).
NDSS adds that there are three types of Down syndrome. Trisomy
21, the most common type, accounts for 95 percent of cases and occurs due to cell division error. Translocation, which makes up about 4 percent of cases, happens when a full or partial extra chromosome 21 attaches to another chromosome. And Mosaicism, which accounts for just 1 percent of cases, happens when some cells have the usual total of 46 chromosomes, but some cells have 47 chromosomes, including an extra chromosome 21.
In all types of Down syndrome, the extra chromosome 21 impacts devel- opment as a fetus grows. Probably
the best-known visible characteristics of Down syndrome, according to
the Mayo Clinic, are a flattened face with a small head and a short neck; a protruding tongue; an upward slanting of eyelids; short fingers; and small hands and feet.
Children with Down syndrome typically have poor muscle tone relative to typically developing chil- dren, and also demonstrate excessive flexibility. They grow more slowly and remain shorter than typical children the same age. Congenital heart defects,
Aging with
DOWN
SYNDROME
Identifying Potential Needs for
Seating & Positioning Support
By Laurie Watanabe
22 JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2021 | MOBILITY MANAGEMENT
MobilityMgmt.com
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