Down Syndrome

        Characteristics        Help in the Classroom        Additional Resources

What is Down Syndrome?

Down Syndrome is a chromosomal disorder characterized by having an extra #21  chromosome .  Instead of having 46 chromosomes in each cell, a person with Down syndrome has 47 chromosomes.  This extra chromosome changes the orderly development of the body and brain.

What are the characteristics of Down Syndrome?

There are over 50 clinical signs of Down syndrome, but it is rare to find all or even most of them in one person. Some common characteristics include:

• Poor muscle tone
• Slanting eyes with folds of skin at the inner corners
• Hyperflexibility (excessive ability to extend the joints)
• Short, broad hands with a single crease across the palm on one or both hands
• Broad feet with short toes
• Flat bridge of the nose
• Short, low-set ears
• Short neck
• Small head
• Small oral cavity
• Short, high-pitched cries in infancy

Individuals with Down syndrome are usually smaller than their non-disabled peers, and their physical as well as intellectual development is slower.  There is a wide variation in mental abilities, behavior, and developmental progress in individuals with Down syndrome. Their level of retardation may range from mild to severe, with the majority functioning in the mild to moderate range.

What are the academic difficulties for students with Down syndrome?

• The developmental gap between children with Down's syndrome and their peers widens with age, this can sometimes lead to problems with socialization.
  
  Other deficits may include
  
• Delayed motor skills - fine and gross.
• Auditory and visual impairments.
• Speech and language impairments.
• Short-term auditory memory deficits.
• A shorter attention span.
• Difficulties with consolidating and retaining information.
• Difficulties with generalization, thinking and reasoning.
• Sequencing difficulties.
• Increased use of avoidance strategies on tasks they find difficult

How can I help students in the school setting?

• Guide students in developing self-help skills
• Guide social interactions and encourage students to participate in social situations to develop social skills
• Encourage students to do specific exercises for gross and fine motor development.
• Emphasize concrete concepts rather than abstract ideas (have a lot of difficulty with abstract thinking)
• Teach tasks in a step-by-step manner with frequent reinforcement and consistent feedback 
• Guide students thinking in academic and social situations.

For additional information please visit the following websites.

http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/downsyndrome/down.htm

http://www.dsa-uk.com

References

 General Information About Down Syndrome.    
        http://www.kidsource.com/NICHCY/downs.html

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