Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsPhysical SymptomsMental SymptomsMedical SymptomsLife Expectancy
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Physical Symptoms
Mental Symptoms
Medical Symptoms
Life Expectancy
Down syndrome is also associated with developmental delays and mild to moderate intellectual disability, although the severity can vary from one individual to the next. People with Down syndrome are also faced with many health challenges, including high rates ofinfertility,heart disease,epilepsy, andleukemia.
Physical and Facial Features of Down Syndrome
Facial features characteristic in people with Down syndrome include:
Other physical signs include:
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Intellectual and Developmental Symptoms of Down Syndrome
Most individuals with Down syndrome have mild to moderate intellectual disability. Mild intellectual disability is defined as an intelligence quotient (IQ) of between 50 and 69, while moderate intellectual disability is defined as an IQ between 35 and 50. Some people with Down syndrome have severe intellectual disability with an IQ of 25 to 30.
The degree of disability is important in that people with mild to moderate intellectual disability can often learn to take care of themselves, while those with severe intellectual disability cannot live independently.
As a result of this and other factors, key developmental milestones in children with Down syndrome are often delayed compared toneurotypical childrenin the general population.
Depending on the child, the differences in development are sometimes incidental and not noteworthy. But, at the later stages, beginning at around 26 months, the gap between the children with Down syndrome and neurotypical children tends to widen.
From a social standpoint, older children with Down syndrome generally engage in social exchanges that are more like neurotypical kids in the 36- to 40-month age range. Children with Down syndrome tend to be happy and do fairly well with social skills, albeit with some delays.
Studies have shown that some of these delays can be reduced with early interventions from one or several specialists, such as speech therapists and physical therapists. This should start shortly after birth and usually continue until the child reaches age 3.
Treatments for Down Syndrome
Medical and Health Problems in Down Syndrome
Children with Down syndrome have a higher risk of developing certain medical problems involving the teeth, eyes, ears, heart, brain, thyroid gland, and reproductive system. They are also vulnerable to certain cancers.
Tooth and Gum Disease
Congenital problems with the teeth, tongue, and mouth can contribute to oral diseases in people with Down syndrome.
Oral conditions commonly seen in people with Down syndrome include:
Vision Problems
Vision problems are common with Down syndrome, the likelihood of which increases with age. Among the conditions commonly seen in children with Down syndrome (and often developing as early as six months of age) are:
Neurological Disorders
The majority of seizures arepartial (focal) seizuresaffecting one side of the brain, while around 20% aregeneralized (tonic-clonic) seizuresaffecting both sides.
Alzheimer’s diseaseis another concern among people with Down syndrome. For reasons that are not clear, 15% of people with Down syndrome who live past 40 will develop the neurodegenerative disorder. (By contrast, only around 5% of people in the general population between 65 and 74 develop Alzheimer’s.)
Hearing Loss
Hearing problems are common with Down syndrome. Around 15% of newborns are born with hearing loss, while 50% to 90% will develop hearing problems sometime during childhood. This can contribute to developmental delays as well as problems with learning and social interactions.
Between 10% and 70% of adults with Down syndrome will experience hearing loss later in life.
Causes of hearing loss with Down syndrome include:
Heart Disease
About 50% of babies with Down syndrome are born with heart defects, referred to ascongenital heart disease.Some of these defects are mild and may correct themselves on their own. Others are severe and require surgery or medications. Adults with Down syndrome are at increased risk of heart disease as they age.
Heart diseases most commonly seen with Down syndrome include:
Gastrointestinal Problems
Nearly half of all people with Down syndrome experiencechronic constipation, which can affect their moods and general well-being.
There are many possible reasons for this including:
Most of these malformations can be fixed with surgery.
Thyroid Disease
Between 20% and 50% of people with Down syndrome have problems with theirthyroid gland. The most common problem ishypothyroidism(low thyroid function). The condition may be congenital or occur later in life due toGraves' disease(an autoimmune form of hypothyroidism).
Some people with Down syndrome may also experiencehyperthyroidism(overactive thyroid), most commonly an autoimmune form calledHashimoto’s thyroiditis.
Cancer
The rate ofleukemia, a type of blood cancer, is 10 to 15 times greater among children with Down syndrome than the rate seen in the general population. Certain types of leukemia are even more common, including:
Interestingly, people with Down syndrome have a lower risk of many solid tumor cancers including breast cancer, lung cancer, and cervical cancer.
Infertility
Down syndrome is directly and indirectly associated with low rates of fertility. According to the American Pregnancy Association, between 70% to 85% of females with Down syndrome are infertile, and those able to conceive have a 50/50 chance of having a child with Down syndrome.
Further lowering the conception rate is the early onset ofmenopausecommonly seen in females with Down syndrome.
As for males, the current medical literature suggests that few with Down syndrome have ever conceived a child. This is thought to be due to problems withspermatogenesis(the creation of sperm cells in thetesticles) along with a general lack of sexual activity.
Down syndrome is associated with a lowered life expectancy. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the current life expectancy for a person living with Down syndrome in the United States is 47 years.
While this is a vast improvement from the 1960s when someone with Down syndrome lived to age 10, significant barriers stand in the way of increasing the rate among those living with the disease today.
Among the concerns, congenital heart defects kill many babies with Down syndrome. Those who survive run a high risk of premature heart disease and early heart disease-related death.
Racial disparities also play a role wherein Black babies with Down syndrome are more likely to die during infancy than infants of other ethnic or racial groups.
Summary
The current life expectancy of someone with Down syndrome is 47 years. Heart disease is one of the major factors contributing the shortened life expectancy, but others contribute.
17 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Down syndrome.Asim A, Kumar A, Muthuswamy S, Jain S, Agarwal S.Down syndrome: an insight of the disease.J Biomed Sci. 2015;22:41. doi:10.1186/s12929-015-0138-yOnnivello S, Pulina F, Locatelli C, et al.Cognitive profiles in children and adolescents with Down syndrome.Sci Rep.2022;12:1936. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-05825-4National Down Syndrome Society.Early intervention.Down Syndrome Association of Central California.Developmental scale for children with Down syndrome.Ghaffarpour M, Karami-Zarandi M, Rahdar HA, Feyisa SG, Taki E.Periodontal disease in Down syndrome: predisposing factors and potential non‐surgical therapeutic approach.J Clin Lab Anal.2024 Jan;38(1-2):e25002. doi:10.1002/jcla.25002Haseeb A, Huynh E, ElSheikh RH, et al.Down syndrome: a review of ocular manifestations.Ther Adv Ophthalmol.2022 Jan-Dec;14:25158414221101718. doi:10.1177/25158414221101718Rahmann MM, Fatema K.Seizures in Down syndrome: an update.Mymensingh Med J.2019 Jul;28(3):712-715.Nixon DW.Down syndrome, obesity, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer: a brief review and hypothesis.Brain Sciences.2018;8(4):53. doi:10.3390/brainsci8040053Kreicher KL, Weir FW, Nguyen SA, Meyer TA.Characteristics and progression of hearing loss in children with Down syndrome.J Pediatr. 2018 Feb:193:27-33.e2. doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2017.09.053Benhaourech S, Drighil A, Hammiri AE.Congenital heart disease and Down syndrome: various aspects of a confirmed association.Cardiovasc J Afr. 2016;27(5):287-290. doi:10.5830/CVJA-2016-019Holmes G.Gastrointestinal disorders in Down syndrome.Gastroenterol Hepatol Bed Bench. 2014;7(1):6-8.Amr NH.Thyroid disorders in subjects with Down syndrome: an update.Acta Biomed.2018;89(1):132-139. doi:10.23750/abm.v89i1.7120Mateos MK, Barbaric D, Byatt SA, Sutton R, Marshall GM.Down syndrome and leukemia: insights into leukemogenesis and translational targets.Transl Pediatr. 2015;4(2):76-92. doi: 10.3978/j.issn.2224-4336.2015.03.03American Pregnancy Association.Down syndrome/trisomy 21.Parizot E, Dard R, Janel N, Vialard F.Down syndrome and infertility: what support should we provide?J Assist Reprod Genet.2019 Jun;36(6):1063–1067. doi:10.1007/s10815-019-01457-2Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Living with Down syndrome.
17 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Down syndrome.Asim A, Kumar A, Muthuswamy S, Jain S, Agarwal S.Down syndrome: an insight of the disease.J Biomed Sci. 2015;22:41. doi:10.1186/s12929-015-0138-yOnnivello S, Pulina F, Locatelli C, et al.Cognitive profiles in children and adolescents with Down syndrome.Sci Rep.2022;12:1936. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-05825-4National Down Syndrome Society.Early intervention.Down Syndrome Association of Central California.Developmental scale for children with Down syndrome.Ghaffarpour M, Karami-Zarandi M, Rahdar HA, Feyisa SG, Taki E.Periodontal disease in Down syndrome: predisposing factors and potential non‐surgical therapeutic approach.J Clin Lab Anal.2024 Jan;38(1-2):e25002. doi:10.1002/jcla.25002Haseeb A, Huynh E, ElSheikh RH, et al.Down syndrome: a review of ocular manifestations.Ther Adv Ophthalmol.2022 Jan-Dec;14:25158414221101718. doi:10.1177/25158414221101718Rahmann MM, Fatema K.Seizures in Down syndrome: an update.Mymensingh Med J.2019 Jul;28(3):712-715.Nixon DW.Down syndrome, obesity, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer: a brief review and hypothesis.Brain Sciences.2018;8(4):53. doi:10.3390/brainsci8040053Kreicher KL, Weir FW, Nguyen SA, Meyer TA.Characteristics and progression of hearing loss in children with Down syndrome.J Pediatr. 2018 Feb:193:27-33.e2. doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2017.09.053Benhaourech S, Drighil A, Hammiri AE.Congenital heart disease and Down syndrome: various aspects of a confirmed association.Cardiovasc J Afr. 2016;27(5):287-290. doi:10.5830/CVJA-2016-019Holmes G.Gastrointestinal disorders in Down syndrome.Gastroenterol Hepatol Bed Bench. 2014;7(1):6-8.Amr NH.Thyroid disorders in subjects with Down syndrome: an update.Acta Biomed.2018;89(1):132-139. doi:10.23750/abm.v89i1.7120Mateos MK, Barbaric D, Byatt SA, Sutton R, Marshall GM.Down syndrome and leukemia: insights into leukemogenesis and translational targets.Transl Pediatr. 2015;4(2):76-92. doi: 10.3978/j.issn.2224-4336.2015.03.03American Pregnancy Association.Down syndrome/trisomy 21.Parizot E, Dard R, Janel N, Vialard F.Down syndrome and infertility: what support should we provide?J Assist Reprod Genet.2019 Jun;36(6):1063–1067. doi:10.1007/s10815-019-01457-2Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Living with Down syndrome.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Down syndrome.Asim A, Kumar A, Muthuswamy S, Jain S, Agarwal S.Down syndrome: an insight of the disease.J Biomed Sci. 2015;22:41. doi:10.1186/s12929-015-0138-yOnnivello S, Pulina F, Locatelli C, et al.Cognitive profiles in children and adolescents with Down syndrome.Sci Rep.2022;12:1936. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-05825-4National Down Syndrome Society.Early intervention.Down Syndrome Association of Central California.Developmental scale for children with Down syndrome.Ghaffarpour M, Karami-Zarandi M, Rahdar HA, Feyisa SG, Taki E.Periodontal disease in Down syndrome: predisposing factors and potential non‐surgical therapeutic approach.J Clin Lab Anal.2024 Jan;38(1-2):e25002. doi:10.1002/jcla.25002Haseeb A, Huynh E, ElSheikh RH, et al.Down syndrome: a review of ocular manifestations.Ther Adv Ophthalmol.2022 Jan-Dec;14:25158414221101718. doi:10.1177/25158414221101718Rahmann MM, Fatema K.Seizures in Down syndrome: an update.Mymensingh Med J.2019 Jul;28(3):712-715.Nixon DW.Down syndrome, obesity, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer: a brief review and hypothesis.Brain Sciences.2018;8(4):53. doi:10.3390/brainsci8040053Kreicher KL, Weir FW, Nguyen SA, Meyer TA.Characteristics and progression of hearing loss in children with Down syndrome.J Pediatr. 2018 Feb:193:27-33.e2. doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2017.09.053Benhaourech S, Drighil A, Hammiri AE.Congenital heart disease and Down syndrome: various aspects of a confirmed association.Cardiovasc J Afr. 2016;27(5):287-290. doi:10.5830/CVJA-2016-019Holmes G.Gastrointestinal disorders in Down syndrome.Gastroenterol Hepatol Bed Bench. 2014;7(1):6-8.Amr NH.Thyroid disorders in subjects with Down syndrome: an update.Acta Biomed.2018;89(1):132-139. doi:10.23750/abm.v89i1.7120Mateos MK, Barbaric D, Byatt SA, Sutton R, Marshall GM.Down syndrome and leukemia: insights into leukemogenesis and translational targets.Transl Pediatr. 2015;4(2):76-92. doi: 10.3978/j.issn.2224-4336.2015.03.03American Pregnancy Association.Down syndrome/trisomy 21.Parizot E, Dard R, Janel N, Vialard F.Down syndrome and infertility: what support should we provide?J Assist Reprod Genet.2019 Jun;36(6):1063–1067. doi:10.1007/s10815-019-01457-2Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Living with Down syndrome.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Down syndrome.
Asim A, Kumar A, Muthuswamy S, Jain S, Agarwal S.Down syndrome: an insight of the disease.J Biomed Sci. 2015;22:41. doi:10.1186/s12929-015-0138-y
Onnivello S, Pulina F, Locatelli C, et al.Cognitive profiles in children and adolescents with Down syndrome.Sci Rep.2022;12:1936. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-05825-4
National Down Syndrome Society.Early intervention.
Down Syndrome Association of Central California.Developmental scale for children with Down syndrome.
Ghaffarpour M, Karami-Zarandi M, Rahdar HA, Feyisa SG, Taki E.Periodontal disease in Down syndrome: predisposing factors and potential non‐surgical therapeutic approach.J Clin Lab Anal.2024 Jan;38(1-2):e25002. doi:10.1002/jcla.25002
Haseeb A, Huynh E, ElSheikh RH, et al.Down syndrome: a review of ocular manifestations.Ther Adv Ophthalmol.2022 Jan-Dec;14:25158414221101718. doi:10.1177/25158414221101718
Rahmann MM, Fatema K.Seizures in Down syndrome: an update.Mymensingh Med J.2019 Jul;28(3):712-715.
Nixon DW.Down syndrome, obesity, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer: a brief review and hypothesis.Brain Sciences.2018;8(4):53. doi:10.3390/brainsci8040053
Kreicher KL, Weir FW, Nguyen SA, Meyer TA.Characteristics and progression of hearing loss in children with Down syndrome.J Pediatr. 2018 Feb:193:27-33.e2. doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2017.09.053
Benhaourech S, Drighil A, Hammiri AE.Congenital heart disease and Down syndrome: various aspects of a confirmed association.Cardiovasc J Afr. 2016;27(5):287-290. doi:10.5830/CVJA-2016-019
Holmes G.Gastrointestinal disorders in Down syndrome.Gastroenterol Hepatol Bed Bench. 2014;7(1):6-8.
Amr NH.Thyroid disorders in subjects with Down syndrome: an update.Acta Biomed.2018;89(1):132-139. doi:10.23750/abm.v89i1.7120
Mateos MK, Barbaric D, Byatt SA, Sutton R, Marshall GM.Down syndrome and leukemia: insights into leukemogenesis and translational targets.Transl Pediatr. 2015;4(2):76-92. doi: 10.3978/j.issn.2224-4336.2015.03.03
American Pregnancy Association.Down syndrome/trisomy 21.
Parizot E, Dard R, Janel N, Vialard F.Down syndrome and infertility: what support should we provide?J Assist Reprod Genet.2019 Jun;36(6):1063–1067. doi:10.1007/s10815-019-01457-2
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Living with Down syndrome.
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