March and called upon all countries and its member organizations as well as
NGOs to raise awareness about
and support the cause of Down
syndrome awareness campaign.
The date 21
st March was chosen to signify the
genetic defect in Down syndrome, where the 21
st pair of chromosomes (out of normal 23 pairs) has an extra
third copy (or trisomy 21) instead of the usual two copies, and therefore 21/03
or 21
st March was chosen as WDSD.
How We Can
Raise Awareness About Down Syndrome
As responsible and dutiful human beings, we must do our bit
to raise awareness about Down syndrome and support persons with this condition.
- The colors of Down
syndrome are blue and yellow and these colors can be used to share and
post messages and stories about the condition
- Use social media such as
Twitter and Facebook to share messages and posters about Down syndrome
- Make a personal
contribution or collect money to donate to the Down syndrome awareness
campaign
- Raise funds by selling
T-shirts, mugs, pins, bracelets and artifacts in blue and yellow themed
colors made by persons with Down syndrome and donate the money for Down
syndrome research
- Distribute information
leaflets about Down syndrome to educate the public about how these people
can be useful to the community and not to discriminate against them
- Print media should carry
informative articles and visual media should organize doctors and experts
to discuss and dispel myths about the condition
- Organize events including
persons with Down syndrome to participate and showcase their talent and
abilities and to dispel wrong notions about them
- Clinics and hospitals can
display educational posters about Down syndrome and the role of genetic
counseling to expectant parents
- Organizations and
institutions can be inclusive and give jobs to persons with Down syndrome
and support their independence
Some
Characteristic Physical Features of Down Syndrome
Persons with Down syndrome have characteristic physical
traits. Some of the common features include the following:
- Flat face
- Small head
- Short stature
- Large protruding tongue
- Upward slanting eyelids
- Small unusual shape of ears
- Poor muscle tone with floppy muscles
- Excessive flexibility
- Broad, short hands and a single crease in the palm
- Relatively short fingers
- Excessive flexibility
- Tiny white spots on the colored part (iris) of the eye
called Brushfield's spots
Down Syndrome
- Facts & Figures
- Incidence of Down syndrome varies between 1 in 100 and
1 in 1000 births worldwide
- The number of babies born with Down syndrome rose by
30% during 1979-2003
- The risk of having a baby with Down syndrome increases
with maternal age over 35 years or already having a child with Down syndrome
- It can occur in anyone irrespective of race or social
class
- Most persons with Down syndrome have a
normal life expectancy and live to their sixties
- Although they have mild to moderate intellectual
impairment, with proper guidance and encouragement they can lead
independent productive lives
- Prenatal screening tests are available that can detect
Down syndrome by 10-20 weeks although they can miss the diagnosis
sometimes. The decision to undergo a prenatal screening or diagnostic test
is a personal one, and expectant parents should do what they feel is best
for them
So,
let's come together on this World Down Syndrome Day to create awareness
about Down syndrome, a genetic condition, and to support
persons with Down syndrome to lead a normal life.
References : - About WDSD - (https://www.worlddownsyndromeday2.org/about-wdsd)
- Understanding a Diagnosis of Down Syndrome - (https://www.ndss.org/resources/understanding-a-diagnosis-of-down-syndrome/)
- About Down Syndrome - (http://www.extra21.org.uk/facts-and-figures-faqs/)
Source: Medindia
