2 month old with possible down syndrome HELP!!?

Question

My little cousin was born in April this year... and i was at his birth. He was born with 2 thumbs in each hand... we thought hey.. it happens. He's normal.. and he will have surgery for it.. but at birth.. he was also diagnosed with down syndrome... the doctor said the shape of his eyes and a pretruding tongue helped her determine this... but they didn't exactly know until 2 weeks later when they told her he had the trisomy 21 syndrome from the blood samples that had taken from him... he is 2 months now.. and according to my aunt and his father he has no symptoms of down syndrome yet. may i mention my aunt is 43 and his dad is 50. He is her first child. anyway... WHen do you start noticing that he has down syndrome?? or can it be possible that he doesn't have it being that he was diagnosed with this.


his parents are in denial... saying that he won't suffer from anything.. and it really disturbs me because i over heard them sayin that he is not going through this..

what about if he truly is... i fear they will go under a severe depression because they won't accept that is what he is... and they need 2 loving parents to watch out for him.. with this syndrome that he has.
i understand he is a normal child with special needs.... and i am willing to accept and help him no matter what.. even if is not my business or his parents wont approve..

but i don't understand is how will he be??
will he have a speech impediment.. will he be slow? a lil retarded? i don't know how these children act. and excuse me if i am very ignorant on this subject.. i relly know nothing.. and i need information.

Answer 1

Hi....if the blood dna tests confirmed trisomy 21...then he has it...simple as that. You can see certain characteristics of DS early in some children, others it may take longer, All kids are different.
here are some of the characteristics of DS:
almond upturned eyes, broader bridge of the nose, ears may be set lower on the head, smaller and turned out on the top, large tongue, shallow pallett, thicker back of the neck, simean crease (deep unbroken line on the palms of the hand), brushfiled spots (white flecks in the eyes...looks like the eyes "sparkle" all the time), pinkie on hands bent and turned inward a bit, low muscle tone, sandal toe( large gap between the big tow and the second toe) short stubby fingers and toes, flat feet, developmental delays (usually an IQ of 70 or lower) congenital heart defects, intestinal blockages. The above are just the common characteristics of DS not all children have all of these characteristics...they vary and are as different as you and I.
I understand how your Aunt is feeling...denial is one of the first stages (she is mourning the loss of her "perfect" child). But she is going to have to snap out of it...and begin learning everything she can about down syndrome in order to give her son the best possible life. There are so many great programs out there that will help (if you are in the States). Birth to 3 or early intervention (through health and family services) will offer physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and special education until he is 3 yrs old, then he can go to an early childhood preschool and continue with the therapies. Katie Beckett offers health insurance. SSI offers help financially if they qualify (based on income) and health insurance. there are more programs out there too.
Being in denial for too long is not going to help her son, he should be evaluated and in a program now! I can't stress that enough.... You might also want to have her contact your states down syndrome association. they will be able to offer support for her as well as getting her in the right direction to get these programs. it is a lot of paperwork, but it is worth every second she will spend on it, because this will only help her son. If she needs someone to talk to there is a great group here on yahoo called families with down syndrome kids or she can email me anytime!!!! I went through all of this when my youngest son was born...yes, he has down syndrome. he is now 3 1/2 yrs old and in early childhood preschool and doing great! I hope this helps in some way and most importantly..... congratulations on your new cousin!!!

Answer 2

I am sorry to hear about your little baby cousin. Unfortunately, there is definately a test that can determine down syndrome. If the test is positive and the doctor is certain, then there is really no question about whether the baby has it or not. Parents can always have a second opinion. Down syndrome is also more common when the mother is much older (35+ years). I am surprised that the test was not done sooner? while she was pregnant? In my last pregnancy, it was a routine test. Please also be aware that there are much worse diaseases or disorders that could happen to children. I assure you with love and the right kind of care, your little cousin will surprise you. Keep your heart open. I have often heard that children with down syndrome are very affectionate with their parents. My husband's aunt also had a baby in her later years and is also diagnosed with down syndrome. She will never be a rocket scientist, but is the sweetest little girl ever! After the initial disappointment the parents probably will feel, try sharing the information you have learned. Give them the hope that their baby is different, but still a wonderful human being! See the links below. Good luck!

Answer 3

I wouldn't go full on worry wart just yet. I mean you're a mom and that's what we do, but it's much easier to tell from an US if the baby will have downs at 20 weeks. Maybe it's just the way the baby was laying during this one. The only way you are going to know for sure is a blood test, and if the levels come back high you can opt to do the amniotic fluid test which can give you a better answer as to if he has it or not. Don't stress out right now, it's not good for you or your little one. Stay positive and be around positive people. There's an old saying that I use daily, when you let negative thoughts seep in, negative things happen to you. Good luck and I hope it all works out for the best!

Answer 4

Trisomy 21 is, indeed, Down syndrome. It frequently appears in cases of advanced parental age. Down syndrome comes with congenital heart problems sometimes, too.
His learning abilities may be very retarded, or, he may be "educable", meaning he will be able to read, write, and hold a job. Quality of life is usually good, too.
Speech is usually affected because of a long tongue and a shallow face. Some form of sign is usually taught to kids with Down syndrome prior to the development of speech.
There are public services, such as early intervention and other therapies, for families of these special kids.

Answer 5

They absolutely need to get him into an early intervention program. Every county and city is required by federal law to have one - they should check with their local health dept. or schools. The early intervention people will get him the help he needs to develop, such as physical therapy. He will be much better off if he gets it, but he has to get it NOW.

They should also find a local support group. You can find it for them by clicking on "Resources" at www.ndss.org.

They may be reluctant to do either of these things because they're in denial. But denial can be a good thing if it's used right - if they refuse to give up on their child. Early intervention is part of that. The child may do all kinds of things that nobody thought possible, but only if he gets the right help now. People with Down syndrome are doing all kinds of amazing things now, but the reason is that their parents did what they needed to do to help them.

Answer 6

If the blood samples say he has down syndrome, then that is what he has.

That means he has a problem with his genetics. He already has symptoms of down syndrome- the shape of the eyes and the tongue. He will most likely be mentally delayed. He will probably not talk and walk at the same time most kids do. There is no cure for down syndrome. Here are some links:

http://kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/birth_defect/down_syndrome.html

http://kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/birth_defect/down_syndrome.html

http://www.ndss.org/

Answer 7

Down's babies all develop in different ways and have different abilities/disabilities. Many Down's children will grow up to lead normal lives and will get jobs and be able to take care of themselves.

The best thing that you can do, is research Downs (start with Google), get in touch with the relevant Societies and get information from the experts and be there ready for when your Uncle and Aunt need you.

Answer 8

If the blood test was positive then he does have Downs. Im so sorry for your family, but he can be quite happy adn quite a joy to raise even though. He can still ive quite a fulfilling life even though many things may be beyond his understadning.

Answer 9

yOU CAN TELL FROM ULTRASOUNDS NOW DONE WHEN A WOMAN IS PREGNANT. JUST BECUASE SOMEONE HAS A DISABILITY DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEY ARE STUPID OR THICK IT JUST MEANS THAT IT MAY TAKE THEM A BIT LONGER TO LEARN SOMETHING THE REST OF US CAN PICK UP QUICKLY AND WHAT MOST OF US TAKE FOR GRANTED. HERE IS A WEBSITE WITH LOTS OF INFORMATION ABOUT NEWBORNS AND DOWNS http://www.downs-syndrome.org.uk/ HAVE A LOOK