Precautionary Measurement To Avoid DOWN SYNDROME
For Next Child By Dr. Mathura Joshi
My age is 28. The first child has ‘Down Syndrome ‘. The fear of having a second child continues. We are postponing it for fear that perhaps the same harm will come to that child. Is the second child at risk for the same? Is it possible to detect or correct such a condition in advance?
– Malini Chandran, Srivilliputhur
Reply by Dr. Mathura Joshi, Pediatrician, SIMS Hospital Chennai
If the first child is born with Down Syndrome, it is not necessary for the next child to be born the same way. Your fear is unnecessary.
We are all born with 46 chromosomes as 23X, 23Y. That means there will be a total of 23 parallel chromosomes (46). If there are three chromosomes in the 21st pair of these chromosomes, Down syndrome (21 trisomy) occurs. An excess chromosome may have come from one of the parents. We cannot change this. There is no cure for Down Syndrome. Today there are modern tests to detect the presence of Down syndrome in the unborn child. A scan done at 11-13 weeks of pregnancy is very important. In which chromosome abnormalities can be detected.
If the infection is confirmed, either parent must decide whether to accept the baby as it is or terminate the pregnancy.
Children with Down syndrome are more likely to have problems with the thyroid, heart disease, and intestinal discomfort. Some problems can be corrected with treatments. But there are no treatments to correct the cognitive impairment of children with Down syndrome.
Those children can be nurtured with confidence through the maximum care and support of their parents and training in special schools.