What happens to Down syndrome adults?

As adults with Down syndrome grow older, there is increased risk of experiencing certain common mental health disorders like depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder and behavioral disturbances. A sudden or abrupt change in mood or behavior patterns warrants further investigation.

Does Down syndrome affect mental age?

The average IQ of a young adult with Down syndrome is 50, equivalent to the mental ability of an eight- or nine-year-old child, but this can vary widely. The parents of the affected individual are usually genetically normal. The probability increases from less than 0.1\% in 20-year-old mothers to 3\% in those of age 45.

What is the average lifespan for a person with Down syndrome?

Today the average lifespan of a person with Down syndrome is approximately 60 years. As recently as 1983, the average lifespan of a person with Down syndrome was 25 years. The dramatic increase to 60 years is largely due to the end of the inhumane practice of institutionalizing people with Down syndrome.

What challenges do adults with Down syndrome face?

As they get older, people with Down syndrome are more likely to have mental health issues, such as depression….Other health issues adults with Down syndrome tend to face include:

• Being overweight.
• Diabetes.
• Cataracts and other problems seeing.
• Early menopause.
• High cholesterol.
• Thyroid illness.
• Increased risk of leukemia.

How old is the oldest Down syndrome person?

He has defied the odds to reach the ripe old age of 78 after medics feared he would never see his teenage years. Niece Nikki Wright, 44, from East Leake, who visits him every week, said: “It’s brilliant he is now officially the oldest person in the country with Down’s syndrome.

How old is the oldest person with Down syndrome?

Is Down syndrome life threatening?

These complications can include: Heart defects. About half the children with Down syndrome are born with some type of congenital heart defect. These heart problems can be life-threatening and may require surgery in early infancy.

Is Down syndrome considered a learning disability?

Down’s syndrome and learning disability A person with Down’s syndrome will have some degree of learning disability, but the level of ability will be different for each individual. A child with Down’s syndrome might take longer than other children their age to reach certain milestones and to develop certain skills.

Who is the oldest person with Down syndrome?

Sprightly Georgie Wildgust puts his longevity down to a love of dancing and an active social life surrounded by a strong network of family and friends. Strictly Come Dancing fan Georgie is now believed to be one of the oldest people in the world with Down’s syndrome and the oldest in the country.

Can someone with Down syndrome raise a child?

Misconception: People who have Down syndrome cannot have children. Reality: It’s true that a person with Down syndrome may have significant challenges in rearing a child. But women who have Down syndrome are fertile and can give birth to children.

Should children with Down syndrome be in special education classrooms?

Children with Down syndrome need to learn with their non-disabled peers with the necessary individual support to make this successful. Research indicates that it is difficult to provide a maximally effective learning environment in a special education classroom.

Is there a substitute for chromosome 21 in Down syndrome?

There is no substitute for this. GENETIC MECHANISMS : Given that Down’s syndrome is due to inheriting three, rather than two copies of chromosome 21 (trisomy 21), there has been much research interest in the genetic material (genes) on chromosome 21 which might account for these age-related brain changes.

Does ageing and the problems of old age matter for Down’s syndrome?

Outlined below is the evidence which suggests that ageing and the problems of old age are particularly relevant to people with Down’s syndrome as some of these age-related problems develop earlier in life than would normally be the case. Throughout life there are changes occurring in brain structure and function.

Can you tell the difference between different types of Down syndrome?

People often can’t tell the difference between each type without looking at the chromosomes because the physical features and behaviors are similar. Trisomy 21: About 95\% of people with Down syndrome have Trisomy 21. 2 With this type of Down syndrome, each cell in the body has 3 separate copies of chromosome 21 instead of the usual 2 copies.