Why do people with Down's Syndrome tend to look the same?

Question

Im not trying to be funny or anything.....but its something ive always wondered....

Answer 1

The chromosome abnormality affects both the physical and intellectual development of the individual.

Down syndrome causes mental retardation, a characteristic facial appearance, and multiple malformations.
slight flattening of the face, minimal squaring off of the top of the ear, a low bridge of the nose

Answer 2

Normally, at the time of conception a baby inherits genetic information from its parents in the form of 46 chromosomes: 23 from the mother and 23 from the father. In most cases of Down syndrome, however, a child gets an extra chromosome - for a total of 47 chromosomes instead of 46. It's this extra genetic material that causes the physical and cognitive delays associated with DS.

Although no one knows for sure why DS occurs and there's no way to prevent the chromosomal error that causes it, scientists do know that women age 35 and older have a significantly higher risk of having a child with the condition. At age 30, for example, a woman has less than a 1 in 1,000 chance of conceiving a child with DS. Those odds increase to 1 in 400 by age 35. By 42, it jumps to about 1 in 60.


Seems it all has to do with the extra chromosome. Whoa. 1 in 60 after the age of 42. I had better get moving in the next decade. :)

Answer 3

The "extra chromosome" that you are talking about typically plugs into the part of you that constructs your nose and your eyes. I know that sounds odd, but it's true. People with down's syndrome actually all have similar noses and the placing and shape of the nose affects the rest of the features in their face giving them the look of being similar.

In most cases, Down syndrome is caused by an extra chromosome 21. It is the most common single cause of human birth defects, with an occurrence in 1 out of every 660 births.

Children with Down syndrome have a widely recognized characteristic appearance. The head may be smaller than normal (microcephaly) and abnormally shaped. Prominent facial features include a flattened nose, protruding tongue, and upward slanting eyes. The inner corner of the eyes may have a rounded fold of skin (epicanthal fold) rather than coming to a point. The hands are short and broad with short fingers and often have a single crease in the palm (simian crease). Retardation of normal growth and development is typical and most affected children never reach average adult height.


Hope that helps! : )

Answer 4

People with Down's syndrome have characteristic facial features. It's part of the syndrome, caused by having an extra copy of chromosome 21.

Answer 5

thats what "syndrome" means,basically-a cluster of similar symptoms shared by persons who have a certain gene.their symptoms are similar,and they develop along similar lines,including facial differences shared by those who have the syndrome.people with various other syndromes can share short stature(turners syndrome),or very tall stature(marfans syndrome).each of the various medical syndromes has its own charachteristic "look',the genetic expression of the syndrome produces structural and developmental similarities .

Answer 6

Don't worry I've wondered that to the reason is because they all share the same chromosone problem so their genes are extremely similar. Which is what makes them have that flat face look

Answer 7

They all have an extra chromosome. Having that extra chromosome caused the same "deformations" in all of them.

They're so beautiful, inside and out. :-)

Answer 8

Maybe because they all have an extra chromosome. I'm not sure but I do know what you mean.

Answer 9

certain physical attributes are synonymous with the illness, they all look like that because the have the same illness.

Answer 10

The world may never know.