Relatives of our have a new baby (1 month) and it seems the eyes are far apart, squinty, and has a very big cheeks, chin, and neck. It was pleasant, smiled in response to our smiles, yet looked down's to me. How early can you tell? We never asked.
2006-10-01 16:06:53 · 12 answers · asked by Kelly A 4 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
The way I read your question is that you want to know how early YOU can tell simply by looking. Presumably, the parents know one way or the other. They could have known during pregnancy or shortly after birth. I know one family who didn't get the diagnosis until the child was 6 weeks old. However, if the child does have Down syndrome, you really need to just wait until the parents are ready to share that with you. They most likely need some time of adjustment and will let people know in their own time and their own way.
Oh, and many young babies don't really display the characteristics...it can be very hard to tell in a young child one way or the other.
2006-10-02 05:13:09 · answer #1 · answered by Smom 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The doctor should have been able to tell from birth. They know to look for these physical signs. Different ones don't have to mean dows, just a disorder of some sort. For example, my daughter was born with meconium aspuration. A very normal thing, happens a lot, and babies get over it all the time. But because all her toes but her big toe are fused together on both feet and she has a crease running across the center of her hand in a straight line, they immediately did chromosome tests on her. She has partial deletion 2p. Very rare doesn't have a name like down's syndrome. If any signs of downs were present at all after birth, the doc would have ordered test to be done. Downs children also have heart defects and that would have been obvious in the womb.
2006-10-01 23:37:30 · answer #2 · answered by glitz_and_glitter 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Most times Down's can be diagnosed prior to birth. Something on the sonogram with the neck being shorter than normal I think. Probably the parents know already so if they are not telling, maybe you should just leave it at that. It was nice of you not to ask, sometimes parents need a bit of time to accept it themselves. Down's children are very loving and sweet, so it is certainly not the worst thing that could happen.
2006-10-01 23:13:06 · answer #3 · answered by thrill88 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They should ask you if you want to be tested in about your 3rd month. I wouldn't be tested because they could not guarantee me 100% that it would be totally safe for the baby.
And besides that, I didn't want to know because if the test had shown that my baby did have it I would have been upset through the rest of my pregnancy.
2006-10-01 23:22:34 · answer #4 · answered by Michelle *The Truth Hurts 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Drs can normally tell at birth. The parents may know and may not be telling you. I know if it were me, I'd want you to see the baby and not the Down's.
2006-10-01 23:16:25 · answer #5 · answered by helpme1 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Down's can be diagnosed in the womb. The physical features you described don't always point to "Down's", you need to stop trying to practice medicine and trying to diagnose physical traits before you get yourself into trouble.
2006-10-02 03:59:08 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Doc should have evaluated the baby for that immediately after birth.
2006-10-01 23:13:28 · answer #7 · answered by larechiga26 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
at week 20 of pregnancy, this is checked routinely (in France at least!). A blood test can confirm or deny.
2006-10-01 23:14:50 · answer #8 · answered by toubab 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Have a blood test taken. There will be a mutation in one of the genes, if it is down's
syndrome.
2006-10-01 23:09:39 · answer #9 · answered by cab veteran 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
downs, if not picked up prior to birth, would be discovered at birth. newborns can look a bit odd - often their faces have to grown into their heads.
2006-10-01 23:44:45 · answer #10 · answered by bettie b 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋