Childhood Disabilities & Disorders
- When to Seek Therapy
- Disabilities & Disorders
- ADHD/ADD
- Anxiety Disorders
- Apraxia of Speech, Childhood
- Articulation Disorders
- Asperger's Syndrome
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Birth Injuries
- Central Auditory Processing Disorder
- Cerebral Palsy
- Clubfoot
- Conduct Disorder
- Down Syndrome
- Elimination disorders (enuresis and encopresis)
- Failure to thrive/feeding disorder
- Fine and Gross Motor Delays
- Fluency/Stuttering
- Fracture
- Fragile X Syndrome
- Gait abnormalities
- Global Developmental Delay
- Hip dysplasia
- Language Delays
- Learning Disabilities
- Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease
- Mental Retardation
- Mood Disorders
- Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
- Oral Motor Disorders
- Orthopedic conditions
- Osgood-Schlatter Disease
- Pervasive Developmental Disorder
- Pica
- Reactive attachment disorder of infancy or early childhood
- Reading Disorders
- Scoliosis
- Selective Mutism
- Sensory Processing Disorder
- Separation anxiety disorder
- Tic disorders
- Torticollis (Wry Neck)
- Additional Resources
Down Syndrome
Down Syndrome (also known as Down’s Syndrome, Trisomy 21 and Trisomy G) is often associated with impaired cognitive ability and physical growth, and a particular set of facial characteristics. It is caused by the presence, in part or in whole, of an extra 21st chromosome. (Chromosomes are large structures found in cells that house thousands of genes.)
Down Syndrome occurs in about 1 out of every 1,000 births and it is more prevalent in children born from older mothers. Down Syndrome can be detected during the pregnancy via amniocentesis.
Common physical features of Down Syndrome include an abnormally small chin, an unusually round face, a protruding tongue, an almond shape to the eyes, shorter limbs, and poor muscle tone. Health concerns for individuals with Down Syndrome include a higher risk for congenital heart defects, gastroesophageal reflux disease, recurrent ear infections, obstructive sleep apnea, and thyroid dysfunctions.
Individuals with Down Syndrome tend to have a lower than average cognitive ability, mild to moderate developmental disabilities, and a minority have severe to profound mental disability. Language difficulties of varying degrees also arise in persons with Down Syndrome.
Early intervention, medical treatment where indicated, a supportive family environment, and vocational training can improve the overall development of children with Down Syndrome. Although some of the physical limitations of Down Syndrome cannot be overcome, education and proper care will significantly improve quality of life.
