Health
Risks
Adults with
Down syndrome are less likely to develop certain common age-related disorders
than the population at large. For example, they have a lower incidence of:
- high blood pressure
- heart disease
- heart attacks
- emphysema
- chronic lung disease
- bone fractures
INSTANT FEEDBACK:
Adults
with Down syndrome have a lower incidence of some cardiac and respiratory disorders
than other adults do.
Adults with Down syndrome
also face a higher incidence of some disorders than their non-disabled peers.
These include:
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Auditory impairments
- Visual impairments
- Orthopedic abnormalities,
especially atlantoaxial instability
- Acquired valvular disease
- Respiratory infections
- Epilepsy
- Type I diabetes
- Thyroid disease, especially
hypothyroidism
- Attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD)
- Autistic disorders
- Obsessive-compulsive
disorders
- Depression
- Abuse (physical or sexual)
- Sleep apnea
- Testicular cancer
- Dental disease
INSTANT FEEDBACK:
While
adults with Down syndrome share many health risks with the population at large,
certain diseases and disorders are more prevalent in those adults with Down
syndrome.
The
National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) has extensive resources for both individuals
and health professionals. Click
here to access health-related links related to Down Syndrome.