WORLD DOWN SYNDROME DAY

World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD), 21 March, could be a international awareness day that has been formally establish by the United Nations since 2012.

The date for WDSD being the twenty first day of the third month, was hand-picked to indicate the individuality of the triplication (trisomy) of the twenty first chromosome that causes Down Syndrome.

What is Down Syndrome?

In every cell in the human body there is a nucleus, where genetic material is stored in genes. Genes carry the codes responsible for all of our inherited traits and are grouped along rod-like structures called chromosomes. Typically, the nucleus of each cell contains 23 pairs of chromosomes, half of which are inherited from each parent. Down syndrome occurs when an individual has a full or partial extra copy of chromosome 21.

This additional genetic material alters the course of development and causes the characteristics associated with Down syndrome. A few of the common physical traits of Down syndrome are low muscle tone, small stature, an upward slant to the eyes, and a single deep crease across the center of the palm – although each person with Down syndrome is a unique individual and may possess these characteristics to different degrees, or not at all.

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