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Aijanae Hodges-Ward

April 1, 2014
5th Hour
Special Needs
Have you ever just thought about life to see how blessed you are? Down syndrome is a
genetic disorder, and it is a collection of features and an abnormal condition. Its important learn
about down syndrome, who discovered down syndrome, what types of treatments there are, and
how it affects a person.
In the past, John Langdon Haydon Dow, a British physician , was the first person to
observe the down syndrome as a special kind of mental disability. He only observed the
symptoms and outcome of down syndrome. The syndrome was named after him. (Shniver)
The most important treatments and drugs there are available for this disease is an
audiologist , a physical therapist, speech therapist, and a occupational therapist. (Team Care ).
Drugs for this disease are big pills. These big pills help down syndrome people get sleep, affect
their brain activity and for their safety. (What Are)
Did you know Down syndrome is a collection of features can include flat face, different
length fingers, light colored spot eyes, and is recognized by common birth defects. It occurs in
all races, ethnic groups, socioeconomic classes, and nationalities. Their physical features all are
the same.(Features , Characteristics)
In fact, people with down syndrome has poor muscle tone , short neck, small head,
flattened facial features.Although down syndrome affects a person in many ways. Theres a lot
of symptoms like Short neck, Enlarged tongue, Abnormally shaped ears, Deep palmar crease,
and poor muscle. (Symptoms of)
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Besides people with down syndrome sometimes live long and sometimes dont.
However, usually the average life expectancy is generally lower than an average person is
heavily dependent upon a number. (Life Expectancy).
Some may be wondering how to educate people with down syndrome.Well, educating
People with down syndrome have their own small community with others who have the same
disability as them. Children with Down syndrome are usually good communicators. They have to
rely on non-verbal skills such as gesture for longer than other children because they usually
experience speech and language delay. Once they start to talk, they make good use of the speech
and language skills that they have for the same range of communicative activities as everyone
else, if encouraged to do so by support from those around them at home, at school and in the
community. They learn at a slower pace to. (Speech, Language)
Now have you thought about how blessed you are? And look at things or people from a
different perspective? bet you have. You cannot always judge someone who looks, different.
Know your research.People with down syndrome have different features, and it is a genetic
disorder ; however theyre still normal and special people.







Work Cited
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Kathleen, Fergus. Features, Characteristics and Symptoms of Down Syndrome. 09 April 2009
<Http://downsyndrome.about.com/od/featuresofdownsyndrome/>
Mayo, Clinic Staff. Down syndrome Life Expectancy. 31 March 2014
<Http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lifeexpactancy/>
Mayo, Clinic Staff Down Syndrome Symptoms. 31 March 2014
<Http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/down-syndrome/basics/symptoms/>
Mayo, Clinic Staff. Down Syndrome Team Care. 31 March 2014
<http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/care/>
Maria , Shriver. Who Discovered Down Syndrome. 31 March 2014
<Http://discovery.yukozimo.com/Who-discovered-down-syndrome/>.
Sue , Buckley. Speech, language and communication for individuals with Down syndrome. 2
May 2007
<http://www.ndss.org/Resources/Therapies-Development/Speech-Language-Therapy/>
Tetschner , Stacy. Windows Into Heaven. New York: Company, 2008 , 23 August 2008.