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Down syndrome - Symptom

Alternative Names

Trisomy 21

Symptoms:

Down syndrome symptoms vary from person to person and can range from mild to severe. However, children with Down syndrome have a widely recognized characteristic appearance.

The head may be smaller than normal and abnormally shaped. For example, the head may be round with a flat area on the back. The inner corner of the eyes may be rounded instead of pointed.

Common physical signs include:

  • Decreased muscle tone at birth
  • Excessive skin at the nape of the neck
  • Flattened nose
  • Separated sutures (joints between the bones of the skull)
  • Single crease in the palm of the hand
  • Small ears
  • Small mouth
  • Upward slanting eyes
  • Wide, short hands with short fingers
  • White spots on the colored part of the eye (Brushfield spots)

Physical development is often slower than normal. Most children with Down syndrome never reach their average adult height. Children may also have delayed mental and social development. According to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, most persons with Down syndrome have mild to moderate mental retardation.

Many different medical conditions are seen in babies born with Down syndrome, including

Children with Down syndrome also have a higher risk for acute lymphocytic leukemia.

Signs and tests:

A doctor can often make an initial diagnosis of Down syndrome at birth based on how the baby looks. The doctor may hear a heart murmur when listening to the chest with a stethoscope.

A blood test can be done to check for the extra chromosome and confirm the diagnosis. See: Chromosome studies

Other tests that may be done include:

Early and massive vomiting may be a sign of a gastrointestinal blockage. The blockage may also be discovered when a health care provider is unable to pass a tube from the nose into the stomach. See: Nasogastric or endotracheal intubation

  • Reviewed last on: 5/10/2007
  • Rachel A Lewis, MD, FAAP, Columbia University Pediatric Faculty Practice, New York, NY, and Brian Kirmse, MD, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Department of Human Genetics, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

References

Ferri FF. Ferri’s Clinical Advisor 2007: Instant Diagnosis and Treatment. 9th ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2007.

ACOG Committee on Practice Bulletins. ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 77: screening for fetal chromosomal abnormalities. Obstet Gynecol. 2007 Jan;109(1):217-27.

AAP Committee on Genetics. Health supervision for children with Down syndrome. Pediatrics. 2001 Feb;107(2):442-9.

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