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Medical conditions of children and young people with Down syndrome

D Valentini1, C Di Camillo1, N Mirante1

  • 1Pediatric Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital-IRCCS, Rome, Italy.

Journal of Intellectual Disability Research : JIDR
|January 11, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Life expectancy for people with Down syndrome (DS) is increasing. This study details common health conditions in children and young people with DS, highlighting age and gender differences in their comorbidities.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Genetics and Genetic Diseases
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Life expectancy for individuals with Down syndrome (DS) has dramatically improved.
  • Understanding the spectrum of congenital malformations and comorbidities in DS is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe congenital malformations and main comorbidities in a cohort of children and young people with DS.
  • To analyze differences in these conditions based on age and gender groups.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective cross-sectional study at a dedicated DS center.
  • Analysis of electronic health records from July 2016 to September 2017.
  • Comparison of clinical conditions with the general pediatric population and between age groups.

Main Results:

  • A cohort of 763 children and young people with DS was studied.
  • Higher prevalence of respiratory diseases, congenital heart defects, malocclusions, and refractive errors compared to the general population.
  • Upper respiratory infections and underweight were more common in younger children, while dental issues, refractive errors, obesity, and autoimmune hypothyroidism increased with age.

Conclusions:

  • Children and young people with DS exhibit a high frequency of treatable medical conditions.
  • The need for multidisciplinary teams is emphasized for comprehensive care of this population.
Abstract

Keywords:
Down syndromecommunicationintellectual disabilitylearning disability

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