Patient's question:
I want to understand more about Down syndrome. What are the symptoms of having Down syndrome? How can we suspect that a child has this disease? Is this disease caused by genetics? Can it be cured later? Will they suffer for the rest of their lives?Doctor's answer:
Down syndrome is a genetic disorder primarily caused by abnormal chromosomes. Currently, medical technology cannot cure this disease. Individuals with Down syndrome may have intellectual disabilities for the rest of their lives, be unable to support themselves, and require others to take care of them. The main symptoms include distinctive physical features, such as wide-set eyes, slanted upward eye fissures, low-set ears, a large tongue, and a mouth that is often half-open. The tongue may also be lifted. Intellectual and developmental delays are common, and some may also have other congenital diseases, such as congenital heart disease.