Causes of Down Syndrome Disorder
Learn about the most common causes of Down syndrome babies including Trisomy 21, Mosaic and Translocation. The different types of Down syndrome all involve an extra copy of the chromosome 21, but each has a unique variation of which cells contain the extra copy. This is likely the reason that physical and behavioral characteristics can vary from one child to another. There will also be a different combination of medical conditions that result from the disorder. The three genetic causes include: • Trisomy 21: More than 90 percent of cases are caused by trisomy 21. A child with trisomy 21 has three copies of chromosome 21 — instead of the usual two copies — in all of his or her cells. This form of is caused by abnormal cell division during the development of the sperm cell or the egg cell.Despite knowing this information you may still be asking what causes down syndrome with respect to the body creating an extra chromosome 21. Currently, scientific research does not support the theory that environmental factors or the parents' activities before or during pregnancy are causes of a Down syndrome infant, but there is an increased risk with advanced maternal age. There is also an increased risk when either a mother or father is the carrier of a translocated chromosome, which accounts for about one third of cases. The risk of this occurring is approximately 3% when fathers are the carrier and 10-15% when mothers are the carrier. However, most cases are random occurrences. Recently, there has been promising evidence for Down syndrome treatment based on nutritional interventions that prevent or substantially decrease typical associated symptoms. I feel this is just one more indicator that when it comes to working with children that have developmental disorders, nutrition is an extremely important aspect of treatment. Return home from causes of Down syndrome page References1. Mayo Clinic Staff. (2009). Down Syndrome: Causes. www.mayoclinic.com. 10-11-10.2. National Down Syndrome Society. What causes down syndrome?. www.ndss.org. 3-21-11. |
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