cells <\/a>receive and an extra copy of chromosome 21 from their parents during conception.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\u2022 Medical science cannot explain the mechanism for the passing of the additional gene from the parents.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 DS is the most common chromosomal abnormality in babies born in the United States, with one in every 691-children affected by the genetic disorder.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 DS affects more than 400,000-Americans.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 In the early Eighties, the average lifespan of a patient with DS was 25-years old. Today, thanks to advances in treatment, and managed care, the average lifespan is 60-years old.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Children born with DS have the features of their parents, but they may develop a distinctive look that’s similar in other children with the disorder.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 The risk of bearing a child with DS increase with age, with women over the age of 30-years old most affected. However, since most births occur in women under the age of 30, DS is more common in this category.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n
<\/div>