Question
I am 5 and a half months pregnant, and a few days ago, when I had an abdominal examination, my attending physician said I have Down syndrome. Can the child still be kept?
Answer
Children with Down syndrome experience a range of impacts, including intellectual disability, language development disorders, and behavioral issues. They typically start learning to speak between the ages of 4-6 years, with 95% having speech defects such as slurred speech, awkward movements, uncoordination, and unsteady gait. Additionally, their growth and development may be affected. In appearance, they have wider spaces between their eyes, both outer corners of their eyes slope downward, there are creases on the inner eyelid, their ears are positioned lower, their nasal bridge is flatter, and their tongues are wider. Approximately half of the children also have congenital heart disease. Moreover, due to low immune function, they are prone to infections and leukemia. If they survive to adulthood, they usually start showing symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease after the age of 30.