“From 1 in every 10,000 births to now affecting 1 in every 700 babies, the incidence of Down Syndrome has increased significantly over the past few decades. As medical advancements continue to uncover new insights into this genetic condition, researchers have been working tirelessly to identify its causes and risk factors”. 

In this blog post, we’ll delve deeper into the rise of Down Syndrome in infants and explore some of the leading theories on what could be behind it.

What is Down Syndrome?

There are many different causes of down syndrome, but the most common cause is trisomy 21. This is when a person has three copies of chromosome 21 instead of the usual two copies.

The cause of Down Syndrome can be diagnosed prenatally through genetic testing or after birth through physical characteristics. The most common symptom of down syndrome is mental retardation, but people with down syndrome can also have physical problems such as heart defects, hearing loss, vision problems, and gastrointestinal issues.

Down syndrome symptoms and what causes down syndrome

There are three different types of Down syndrome, and each type has its own set of symptoms. The most common type of Down syndrome is trisomy 21. This type of Down syndrome is characterized by physical traits such as low muscle tone, short stature, and an upward slant to the eyes. It can also cause intellectual disability and developmental delays.

Mosaic Down Syndrome is caused by a random error during cell division that results in some cells having the usual two copies of chromosome 21, while other cells have three copies. This type of Down syndrome is less common and typically causes milder symptoms than trisomy 21.

The third type of Down syndrome, termed “translocation,” occurs when part of chromosome 21 becomes attached to another chromosome during cell division. This type of Down syndrome can be passed down from one generation to the next, and typically causes milder symptoms than trisomy 21.

Why are Down Syndrome babies called Mongoloids?

There are a few different reasons why Down Syndrome babies are referred to as mongoloid. One reason is that the features associated with down syndrome were first described by a physician in the 1800s who noticed that many of his Mongolian patients had similar physical characteristics. Another reason is that the Mongolian people have a high incidence of Down Syndrome, so the term became associated with the condition. Additionally, some people use the term mongoloid as a way to refer to people with developmental disabilities in general, regardless of whether or not they have Down Syndrome.

How common is Down Syndrome in Pakistan?

There are no reliable statistics on the prevalence of Down Syndrome in Pakistan. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the condition is relatively rare in the country.

There are a number of factors that could contribute to the apparent increase in Down Syndrome births in Pakistan. One possibility is that more women are giving birth at an older age, which is a known risk factor for the condition. Additionally, there may be more awareness of and access to testing for Down Syndrome, which can lead to more diagnoses. Finally, it’s possible that there are environmental factors at play that have not yet been identified.

Despite the lack of data suggesting a widespread problem, it is important to raise people’s understanding of Down Syndrome and other genetic disorders in order to help them avoid having children present with this disease. The worldwide proportion has been rising at an alarming rate, and it is past time that we started paying attention to it and trying to raise people’s consciousness about it.