Hello!!! This Question is for all parents who have a child with down syndrome..?

Question

My cousin recently had a baby boy and she is so paronoid because she believes that he might have dwon syndrome. She asked me if her son looked like he had it and I told her that he looked fine too me and I suggested that she asks his pediatrician. She did aks his pediatrician and the doctor said that is it hard to detect it at such an early age.

My question too you parents who has a child under those condition, what are the signs? How is the child suppose too look? and last How can you tell?

Thank you for responding....

Answer 1

Your baby may have looser muscles and joints than other babies. This will improve as she gets older.
She may have lower than average birth weight and put on weight at a slower pace than other babies. (Special weight charts are available for babies and children with Down’s syndrome from the National Office of the Association).
Babies with Down’s syndrome often have eyes that slant upward and outward. Their eyelids often have an extra fold of skin (epicanthic fold) which appears to exaggerate the slant. This does not mean that there is anything wrong with the eyes. They just look different.
The back of your babies’ head may be flatter than average.
Many babies with Down’s syndrome have a single crease which runs right across the palm of the hand. Doctors often look for this characteristic crease, as a sign that a baby may have Down’s syndrome. However, some babies who do not have Down’s syndrome also have a crease like this.
All babies are different from each other and the same is true of babies with Down’s syndrome. This means that in some babies the characteristic signs of Down’s syndrome are fairly easy to recognise soon after birth, whilst others may look and behave little differently from other babies. However, experienced doctors and midwives are usually very good at picking up subtle differences, which suggest that a blood test should be done to check the chromosomes.

Answer 2

Usually a physical exam will determine whether a child has Down Syndrome or not. Not to mention that if she is seriously paranoid she could easily have genetic testing to find out. It is a genetic disorder resulting from a person receiving 3 of the 21st chromosome instead of just 2. That is why the official term for the disorder is Trisomy 21.

Anyways, heres some info on physical attributes of children with Down Syndrome:
"Initially the diagnosis is based on physical characteristics that are commonly seen in babies with Down syndrome. These include low muscle tone, a single crease across the palm of the hand, a slightly flattened facial profile and an upward slant to the eyes."

Answer 3

It's difficult to tell by looking sometimes. The child might exhibit low muscle tone, have a simian crease in one or both hands, have sandal gap between the big toe and the one next to it, etc. But the only sure-fire way to tell for sure is to have a karyotype performed (simple blood draw for the baby). This will determine the presence of a 3rd 21st chromosome in some or all of the baby's cells.

My son has Down syndrome and people couldn't detect it visually in him for a long time.

If it will ease ner mind to know, she should insist on a karyotype. A diagnosis is important, because children with Down syndrome can have other associated physical problems (heart, intestinal, etc) that should be monitored if the child indeed has Down syndrome.

Finally, I hope that your cousin realizes that a diagnosis of Down syndrome is not the end of the world. Children with Down syndrome do almost everything any other kid does, it just may take a little longer. My son is the light of my life and he has blessed the lives of everyone who has met him.

Good luck to your cousin.

Answer 4

Doctor's can check for Down syndrome with a simple blood test that examines the baby's chromosomal DNA. I would switch pediatricians.

Here is more about diagnosing Down syndrome:

"Initially the diagnosis is based on physical characteristics that are commonly seen in babies with Down syndrome. These include low muscle tone, a single crease across the palm of the hand, a slightly flattened facial profile and an upward slant to the eyes.

The diagnosis must be confirmed by a chromosome study (karyotype), which is a simple blood test. A karyotype provides a visual display of the chromosomes grouped by their size, number and shape. Chromosomes may be studied by examining blood or tissue cells."

Answer 5

My son was born with DS some of the features we saw were: almond shaped eyes,small eyes, white dots on the colored part of the eye, one large crease along the palms, the pinky finger is slightly curved inward, a wide gap between his big toe,flat bridge of the nose.


The only real way is to have a blood test done that can check for the extra chromosome. It takes a small sample and they can usually get the results back in like 7-10 days because it is such a specialized test.

Answer 6

no child looks alike whether the baby has DS or not, everyone is different some characteristics of DS are (not all of them have to be present either):
almond shaped eyes
simeon crease (look at the palm of your hand...the top line closest to the knuckles is a broken line...on kids with DS the line is deep and runs all the way across the palm of the hand, usually on both hands)
bridge of the nose is flatter
ears are set lower on the head and sometimes the top of the ear folds forward
the back of their neck is thicker than other children
developmentally children with DS are slower than other children at the same age. ie: children normally walk at between 9-12 months give or take a month or two, but with a child that has DS the avg is 2 yrs.
but the only way to know for sure is to have genetic testing done to look for the extra chromosome. tell your cousin to find a new dr for her son...you can tell at an early age and if for some reason she does have a child with DS there are so many programs out there that will help....like your states birth to 3 program. but it needs to be diagnosed early to get the intervention he needs while developing.
best of luck!!!!

Answer 7

My child doesn't have down syndrome, but my opinion is that she needs to have her child taken to a genetic counselor. That is the only way she will know for sure if her baby has down syndrome. If she is truly worried, her pediatrician should order genetic testing. Otherwise, she needs to find another doctor who will.