Happy October!

October is Down syndrome awareness month and a great time to celebrate our
friends who have Down syndrome.

Here are some facts about Down syndrome.

•  In the early 1900s, the life expectancy of a person with Down syndrome was 9 years old.  Now the life expectancy of a person with Down syndrome is 60 years old!

• Down syndrome is not related to race, socioeconomic status, religion or anything that the mother or father did during pregnancy.

• Most individuals with Down syndrome function at the mild to moderate range of cognitive impairment.

• It was estimated in 2011 that 1 in 691 live births resulted in the birth of a child with Down syndrome.

• Because of the higher life expectancy of a person with Down syndrome and the increase in live births of a person with Down syndrome, it is expected that in the next 20 years the percentage of individuals with Down syndrome in the world will increase significantly.

• Individuals with Down syndrome can and are attending college, getting jobs, and are living independently.

• Down syndrome has been depicted in historical paintings from the 15th and 16th centuries.

• People with Down syndrome are living higher quality lives than ever before thanks to appropriate medical care, supportive therapies, and educational options.

• The family and personal impact of having a child with Down syndrome is overwhelmingly positive. Studies on families have shown that 96% of parents did not regret having a child with Down syndrome and 96% of siblings wouldn’t trade their sibling with Down syndrome for a sibling without it. And 99% of people with Down syndrome say that they are happy with their life.

• The world is blessed to have our friends with Down syndrome in it!

Sources:

Global Down Syndrome Foundation 

UPMC Health Beat