Facts About Down Syndrome Every Parent Should Know

A timely diagnosis and early intervention are crucial to ensure that a child with Down Syndrome lives a fuller life.

- Kayal Arivalan

Down Syndrome, also known as Down’s Syndrome and Trisomy 21, is defined as a condition in which a person is born with an extra chromosome. Chromosomes are small ‘packages’ of genes that play an integral role in the form and function of a baby during pregnancy and after birth. Medical studies reveal that a baby is usually born with 46 chromosomes. However, a baby with Down Syndrome will have an extra set of chromosomes that can cause physical and mental challenges in the infant. The syndrome is named after

British doctor John Langdon Down, who fully described the syndrome in 1866 and helped to differentiate the condition from mental disability.