Down Syndrome Health Video

Down syndrome is a genetic disorder that causes mental retardation. Down syndrome is the most common genetic cause of severe learning disabilities in children. Learn about the different causes, symptoms, and treatments of down syndrome in this video.

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Give your children the attention they need
Identify the condition early & consult a doctor about special programs
Talk with a geneticist about options for having children

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Dr. Davis is one of San Francisco's finest house call specialist physicians and has been providing house calls and office visits to the Bay Area since 2005. His practice is built upon the philosophy that excellent customer service and excellent patient care go together. Dr. Davis works out of a charming 100-year-old Victorian home, and he believes that healing should begin when you walk in the door. While trained in modern medicine, Dr. Davis also has a deep appreciation of cultural anthropology, the natural sciences, and philosophy all of which he integrates with his medical practice. Dr. Davis received his MD from the University of Florida and completed his Family Practice residency at Lehigh Valley Family Practice. He has also lived, studied, and traveled abroad extensively, including for one year in Beijing, China, where he studied and practiced the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture.

JUSTIN C. K. DAVIS, MD: Hi. My name is Dr. Justin Davis and today, I will be describing a condition known as Down syndrome to you. Down syndrome is the most common cause of mental retardation in the United States, probably worldwide, causing about 1 in 700 babies to have severe learning disabilities and mental retardation. So, what exactly causes Down syndrome? Well, Down syndrome is a genetic disorder, meaning something is wrong with the genes, and particularly in this case when the fetus is being formed, the chromosomes become slight mixed up and just ever so slightly out of order but this is enough to cause a very specific kind of syndrome known as Down syndrome. Now, babies will be born with Down syndrome if they are going to have it and typically it is identifiable, probably most of us have seen people or children with Down syndrome and typical features are a flattened broad face, often upslanted eyes, maybe a small head, low-set and small ears, often a smaller stout body. Well, many of the features of Down syndrome are very similar including how Down syndrome people from all different cultures and parts of the world appear, the severity of the affected individual can vary greatly and many people with Down syndrome can successfully live rich lives and even maintain jobs. Although they may have severe learning disabilities, they are often a joy to be around. So, what is the treatment for Down syndrome? Well, there is no treatment for Down syndrome as it is a genetic disorder and once you are born with it, you have it for life. But what is important is to recognize it early so that you can start them in programs that may be more suitable for Down syndrome and give them the special attention that they need. Also, children or people with Down syndrome are more likely to have certain kinds of medical problems; for example, early problems with heart disease and so it is important to do proper screenings so that you can identify and treat these problems early. Certain individuals are more likely to have children with Down syndrome and these individuals are people that have had previous children with Down syndrome or after you reach the age of 36 as a woman and beyond, your chances for having a child with Down syndrome will start to increase. So if you know that you are potentially at risk for having a child with Down syndrome, it may be worthwhile to consult with a physician or a geneticist to discuss your actual risks and how these may affect you. There are also some screening tests that can be done while you are pregnant to determine if your child will be born with Down syndrome or not.

Down Syndrome Health Video

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