Temple Hill Academy Class Hosts Special Visitors for World Down Syndrome Day
Temple Hill 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Eden Weaver, and her class hosted some very special guests for World Down Syndrome Day on Tuesday, March 21st. The first special visitor was Mrs. Weaver's 14 month old daughter, Avi Jane Weaver, who was accompanied by her grandmother and great grandmother. Avi was born with Down Syndrome on January 1, 2022. Mrs. Weaver admits that before Avi's birth, she did not know much about people with Down Syndrome. She encourages her students to learn about people's differences to help facilitate ACCEPTANCE and INCLUSIVITY. Avi had all of Mrs. Weaver's scholars gushing over her sweet personality and adorableness.
About Down Syndrome
What can I expect if I have or know a child diagnosed with Down syndrome? Children born with Down syndrome lead happy and healthy lives with supportive care. Treatment and therapies can help them reach developmental milestones, gain an education with their peers, build relationships and have successful careers
Down syndrome is a genetic condition where a person is born with an extra copy of chromosome 21. This means that they have a total of 47 chromosomes instead of 46. This can affect how their brain and body develop. People diagnosed with Down syndrome have happy and healthy lives with a bit of extra supportive care.
Down Syndrome can affect an individual in a variety of ways and to differing degrees.
Down syndrome is the most common chromosome-related condition in the United States. An estimated 6,000 babies are born with the condition in the U.S. every year, which equals about 1 in every 700 babies. There are about 200,000 people in the U.S. diagnosed with Down syndrome.
What are the symptoms of Down syndrome? Down syndrome causes physical, cognitive and behavioral symptoms. Not all people with Down syndrome have all of these symptoms. Symptoms and their severity are different from person to person.
Treatment options to help these children reach their full potential include:
Physical or occupational therapy.
Speech therapy.
Participating in special education programs in school.
Treating any underlying medical conditions.
Wearing glasses for vision problems or assisted hearing devices for hearing loss.
Many communities these days have special classes that foster INCLUSIVITY for children with special challenges. These classes have shown an enormous success in social growth of both children affected with the disorder, and the friends they make in their community.
Some.common conditions of Down syndrome can include:
Heart problems,
Thyroid abnormalities.
Gastrointestinal problems like constipation, gastroesophageal reflux and celiac disease.
Autism, challenges with social skills, communication and repetitive behaviors.
Alzheimer’s disease.
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Are people who have Down syndrome at greater risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease? - People with Down syndrome are at greater risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease occurs in about 30% of people with Down syndrome in their 50s and about 50% of those in their 60s. Studies show the extra full or partial chromosome contributes to this increased risk of Alzheimer’s. Genes on chromosome 21 produce amyloid precursor protein, which plays an important role in the brain changes seen in Alzheimer’s patients.
Some physical attributes may be more present, to a greater or lesser degree.
A flat nose bridge. They may be very noticeable, barely noticeable or not readily noticeable.
Slanted eyes that point upward
A short neck.
Small ears, hands and feet.
Weak muscle tone at birth.
Small pinky finger that points inward towards the thumb.
One crease in the palm of their hand (palmar crease).
Shorter-than-average height.
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