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Andrea Guinn
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Down Syndrome

Andrea R. Guinn

Ivy Tech Community College

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Down Syndrome

Down syndrome is the most common chromosomal condition. One in every seven

hundred babies in the United States are diagnosed and about six thousand babies are diagnosed

each year. Down Syndrome occurs when a person has a full or partial extra copy of chromosome

21. This extra genetic material is the cause of the alteration of development and characteristics

of down syndrome. The characteristics of down syndrome are low muscle tone, small structure,

upward slant to the eyes, rounded face, and a deep crease across the center of the palm. These

characteristics vary person to person and vary in degree or sometimes does not appear at all

(NDSS). Down syndrome may appear in a person’s physical traits or it may not; everyone is

unique and has different traits even when it comes to down syndrome.

There are three types of down syndrome; trisomy 21 (nondisjunction), mosaicism, and

translocation. Trisomy 21 is the most common type of down syndrome and occurs in 95% of all

the down syndrome cases. It is caused by an error in cell division. This error causes three copies

of chromosome 21 to be made in an embryo instead of the normal two copies. Mosaicism is the

least common type of down syndrome and occurs only about 1% of all the down syndrome

cases. This type of down syndrome occurs when there is a mixture of the normal 46

chromosomes and some cells containing 47 chromosomes. Research has shown that individuals

with mosaic down syndrome have fewer characteristics of down syndrome than the other types

(NDSS). Translocation occurs in about 4% of all down syndrome cases. According to NDSS,

“the total number of chromosomes in the cells remains 46; however, an additional full or partial

copy of chromosome 21 attaches to another chromosome, usually chromosome 14. The presence

of the extra full or partial chromosome 21 causes the characteristics of down syndrome”. This

quote explains the difference in translocation from the other two types of down syndrome which
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is significant. Translocation is when the chromosome 21 is attached to another chromosome and

there are not 47 chromosomes in the cell like the other two types. It is important to know each

type as a teacher, so you know what the student is diagnosed with.

The actual cause of down syndrome is still unknown; however, scientists do know that

the error occurs during conception and is not due to problems and the mother’s actions during the

pregnancy. Many people believe that the cause is due to the mother’s age; however, this is not

always the case. While it is true that the risk of having a child with down syndrome increases as

the mother’s age gets higher, 80% of children with down syndrome are born to mothers 35 and

younger (NADS). NDSS says, “The additional partial or full copy of the 21st chromosome

which causes down syndrome can originate from either the father or the mother. Approximately

5% of the cases have been traced back to the father”. This information shows that down

syndrome may be caused by the parent’s genetic makeup.

The life expectancy has more than doubled from 15 years ago. Fifteen years ago, the

average life expectancy for a person with down syndrome was 25, but now the average life

expectancy is 60 years old (NADS). In those 60 years of life many people with down syndrome

are now getting married and beginning to live on their own. Many people are also getting jobs

whether it be volunteer work or a paid job (Whitney). Even if people have down syndrome, now

with the new life expectancy and new technology and understanding, these people can live a full

life.

Education for students with down syndrome is much like any other education. While

they do have help with the special needs department in school, many still appear in the regular

classroom. Most students with down syndrome are eligible for a free education under the federal

law of the IDEA Act. Each student can receive these services from birth until they graduate or
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until 21 years of age. The law also says that these students must learn in the least restrictive

environment depending on what that is for each individual student. These students are also able

to attend a school for special needs. Students with down syndrome are not stopping with a high

school degree. Many are continuing their education at universities (Office of Communications).

Students with down syndrome can excel their knowledge.

Lives for the people with down syndrome have changed drastically over the years. Life

expectancy has gone up with new technologies and health improvement. The knowledge that

they learn from their education has gotten much better throughout the years. Even though the

cause of down syndrome still is unknown we know a lot more than what we did in the past. It is

important for teachers to know about disorders, diseases, and syndromes like down syndrome so

that you know what is affecting your students, or so you can understand them better.
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References

National Association for Down Syndrome (NADS) (2016). Facts about Down Syndrome.

Retrieved from http://www.nads.org/resources/facts-about-down-syndrome/

National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) (2018). What is Down Syndrome?. Retrieved from

https://www.ndss.org/about-down-syndrome/down-syndrome/

Office of Communications (2017). What are Common Treatments for Down Syndrome?.

Retrieved from https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/down/conditioninfo/treatments

Whitney, Neal (2018). Employment in Adults with Down Syndrome. Retrieved from

https://www.nchpad.org/1415/6299/Employment~in~Adults~with~Down~Syndrome
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Reflection

This artifact was an assignment in my EDUC230 The Exceptional Child class. I chose

this assignment because it was one of the most interesting assignments I have done. In this

research paper I had the opportunity to research down syndrome and find out more about it. I

found it very interesting to know what down syndrome is and that are different types of it. I also

found the statistics of the accomplishments the people with this syndrome are making in today’s

world. It is as though nothing can weigh them down.

The INTASC standard this assignment correlates with is standard two. This standard is

about the teacher using understanding of individual differences and diverse cultures, and

communities to ensure inclusive learning environments that enable each learner to meet high

standards. The assignment meets this criteria because it not only allowed me to broaden my

understanding of down syndrome, but it also allowed me to open my eyes at how far students

with disabilities are going. The difference between today and ten to twenty years ago and the

percentage of people with down syndrome working is unbelievable. This just shows me that

including disabled students in the classroom will help them become who they want to be. I

would have to adapt the lessons for these students, so they have a better opportunity. To do this I

would need to know the student’s ability and how they learn best. Most students with down

syndrome are visual learners so I would include visual elements on their worksheets, tests, and

throughout the lesson so they are able to make that connection to learn the material. I would

adapt the lessons for these students because I want them to grow to their highest potential.

My future goal is to create lessons with adaptions and more help for the students who

need it. I want to make my lessons to where students with disabilities can stay in my room

because it is the least restrictive environment and still receive a good education that can take
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them far in life. To complete this goal, I will make lesson plans with two or more adaptations

built in. I will also get to know the students that need these adaptations, so I will know how to

adapt it to help them the most. For example, if one student learns best with hands on learning I

would include an activity where they work with their hands. I think understanding how to help

the students who need it most and why they need it, such as knowing more about down

syndrome, will make me a better teacher and more prepared for the students who need me.