People with Down syndrome often have similar physical features, but they are more like their family than like any other person with Down syndrome.
Low muscle tone (called hypotonia) is also common in people with Down syndrome. This along with reduced strength and endurance, makes learning gross and fine motor skills harder and it also affects them to have a clear speech. For this reason children with Down Syndrome from birth require regular visits to physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy to help them to reach their milestones and to do their daily activities.
Children with Down syndrome have increased risk of certain health issues:
- Congenital heart defects
- Susceptibility to infection
- Hearing, vision, thyroid and respiratory problems
- Obstructive digestive and neurological problems and leukemia
The life expectancy of people with Down syndrome is increasing, thus, the importance of life-long living and learning needs to be supported.
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