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'''Down syndrome''' (also written as '''Down's syndrome''', technical name '''Trisomy 21'''<ref>http://www.ds-health.com/trisomy.htm</ref>) is a genetic disorder caused by an extra copy of [[chromosome]] 21. IT is the most common syndrome caused by chromosomal abnormalities in human beings. The greatest risk factor for having a child with Down syndrome is increased maternal (and, to a lesser extent, paternal) age.
'''Down syndrome''' (also written as '''Down's syndrome''', technical name '''Trisomy 21'''<ref>http://www.ds-health.com/trisomy.htm</ref>) is a genetic disorder caused by an extra copy of [[chromosome]] 21. IT is the most common syndrome caused by chromosomal abnormalities in human beings. The greatest risk factor for having a child with Down syndrome is increased maternal (and, to a lesser extent, paternal) age.
== History ==
The name comes from [[British]] [[physician]] [[John Langdom Down]], who described the syndrome in his [[1862]] paper, "Observations on an Ethnic Classification of Idiots". Down conjectured that the syndrome was a "degeneracy" of [[caucasians]] to [[mongols]] (the [[mongolian]] race was one of the five racial classifications commonly used at the time), and the term '''mongolism''' was inspired by his paper. Currently, the terms "mongolism" and "mongoloid" are considered offensive. <!-- reference:
The name comes from [[British]] [[physician]] [[John Langdom Down]], who described the syndrome in his [[1862]] paper, "Observations on an Ethnic Classification of Idiots". Down conjectured that the syndrome was a "degeneracy" of [[caucasians]] to [[mongols]] (the [[mongolian]] race was one of the five racial classifications commonly used at the time), and the term '''mongolism''' was inspired by his paper. Currently, the terms "mongolism" and "mongoloid" are considered offensive. <!-- reference:
http://www.neonatology.org/classics/down.html, original paper //-->
http://www.neonatology.org/classics/down.html, original paper //-->
== Signs and symptoms ==
The most important medical aspect of Down syndrome is [[mental retardation]]. Individuals with Down syndrome have mild to severe mental retardation. It is impossible to reliably predict what the eventual level of function of a child with Down syndrome will be.
The most important medical aspect of Down syndrome is [[mental retardation]]. Individuals with Down syndrome have mild to severe mental retardation. It is impossible to reliably predict what the eventual level of function of a child with Down syndrome will be.