Down syndrome is a chromosomal health condition that is common among the children. This health condition is also commonly referred to as Trisomy 21. The children that are victims of the medical condition acquire extra genetic material that lead to a significant delay in the various development aspects f a child. Some of the developmental perspectives that are affected include the physical and mental development of the children. An approximate of 1 in 800 born children have the genetic health condition. Over 80% of the children born with Down syndrome are born of children who are below 35 years of age (CDC, 2014). The level to which the victim is affected varies from child to another depending on the level of alterations caused by the genetic discrepancies in the child. As a result, some of these children may require massive medical attention while other may lead healthy lives devoid of any complications.
At conception, there are various processes that take place towards the formation of a baby. Some of the activities that take place include inheritance of genetic materials that have information contributing towards the formation of the child (NDSS, 2012). Therefore, a normal child inherits 23 chromosomes from each of the parents summing up to 46. The formation of Down syndrome occurs when a child inherits an extra chromosome making them 47 instead of the normal 46. This extra chromosome leads to the poor development of physical features and other delays in the development of a child. The extra chromosome that is acquired that leads to the alteration is referred to as chromosome 21 and it attributed to the development of the Down syndrome symptoms (CDC, 2014).
Some of the physical signs that indicate the presence of Down syndrome in a child include poor development of the muscles in the bodies of the victims that may also lead to poor ligament development. Most of the children with the health condition usually have a short neck and their ears have abnormal shapes that may be bigger in size. The children with the condition are also likely to have a flat face with eyes that slant upwards. Therefore, the children with these medical condition are usually weak when compared to other children of the same age. Due to the poor development of the physical and organ systems in the children that are victims. The sensory system of the children is also highly affected (NDSS, 2012). The sensitivity of the children may also be reduced to significant levels which may lead to hearing and vision challenges.
If prompt action is not taken to assist the children overcome the health challenge, there are also various aspects of their lives that are likely to be affected. The delayed development in the children can cause various social problems. This is because these children may not find in their age groups with their colleagues because of the developmental gap that exists. Some of these children also development with mental problems that affect their social skills. Therefore, these children are not able to interact with others and this may affect the overall quality of their lives because of the resultant isolation (NDSS, 2012).
There are various interventions that can be advanced for the pediatric patients with Down syndrome. Early interventions are elemental towards assisting the children to cope with the condition. One of the interventions includes the administration of special education through physical therapy and speech assistive tools. Taking the children to schools with curriculum tailored to their needs is one of the realistic approaches that can assist the children have improved health conditions (CDC, 2014). Therefore, the overall support of the family members and close attention from the specialists is elemental towards alleviating the symptoms associated with Down syndrome in children.