What is Down Syndrome?

About Down Syndrome:

• It is a condition in which a person has an extra chromosome or an extra piece of a chromosome. 
  • Chromosomes are tiny “packages” in your cells that contain your genes.
  • Genes carry information, called DNA, that controls what you look like and how your body works.
  • People with Down syndrome have an extra copy of chromosome 21. In some cases, they may have an extra copy of a part of the chromosome.
  • Having an extra copy of a chromosome is called a trisomy. So sometimes Down syndrome is also called trisomy 21.
• This extra copy changeshow a baby’s body and brain develop.
• It can cause both mental and physical challenges during their lifetime. 
• Even though people with Down syndrome might act and look similar, each person has different abilities.
• Causes: Down syndrome is usually not inherited. It happens by chance, as an error when cells are dividingduring the early development of the fetus.
• Symptoms:
  • The symptoms of Down syndrome are different in each person. And people with Down syndrome may have different problemsat different times of their lives.
  • They usually have mild to moderate intellectual disabilities. Their development is often delayed. 
  • Some of the common physical signs of Down syndrome include:
• A flat face
• Eyes that slant up
• A short neck
• Small hands and feet
• Poor muscle tone
• Loose joints
• Treatment: 
  • Down syndrome is a lifelong condition and it cannot be cured. Early therapy programs can help improve skills.
  • Treatments are based on each person’s physical and intellectual needs, strengths, and limitations.

Q1: Who were the Neanderthals?

Neanderthals are our closest extinct human relative. They lived throughout Europe and parts of Asia from about 400,000 until about 40,000 years ago. Neanderthals co-existed with modern humans for long periods of time before eventually becoming extinct. Some defining features of their skulls include the large middle part of the face, angled cheek bones, and a huge nose for humidifying and warming cold, dry air. Their bodies were shorter and stockier than modern humans, another adaptation to living in cold environments. But their brains were just as large as modern humans and often larger – proportional to their brawnier bodies.

Source: Down syndrome discovered in Neanderthals for the first time

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