Question
What are the special characteristics of children with Down syndrome?
Answer
Children with Down syndrome exhibit many distinct features in appearance and physique. Their intelligence is typically lower than that of normal children, with an IQ ranging from 40 to 60, but they usually have a mild temperament. These children experience developmental delays, along with lower muscle tone, which causes them to learn to sit, stand, and walk later than normal children. They have a unique facial appearance that is easy to recognize, such as eyes that are widely spaced, slanted upwards, a flat nasal bridge, and smaller mouths, teeth, and ears. Most patients have simian creases on their palms (also known as simian creases), with fingers that have special hoof-like ridges and a particularly wide space between the second and third toes.