a closer look

Did you know, that back in the day, before it was found by an extra 21st chromosome... Down Syndrome was diagnosed by noticing certain characteristic physical features?! Lets take a closer look at what some of these physical characteristics are.

Eyes: The eyes of an individual with Down syndrome might slant upwards a little bit and are almond shaped. They might have small folds of skin at the inner corners, which are called Epicanthal Folds. The outer part of the iris might have light spots that are called Brushfield spots as shown in the picture bellow.

Nose: The bridge of the nose is smaller than usual, giving the impression of a button nose. This sometimes gives the appearance of a slightly broader nose.

Ears: The ears in individuals with Down syndrome can be smaller and the tops may slightly fold over. The ears set slightly lower on the head. In the picture below, you will notice Lincoln's smaller bridge of the nose and his small ears that do sit slightly lower.

Neck: Some individuals with Down syndrome have a "thicker" neck, or what appears to be an excess of skin on the neck. This is one of the markers for Down syndrome that can be caught in an ultrasound.

Flat Profile: Individuals with Down syndrome tend to have a "flatter" profile. This is due in part to the small bridge of the nose, but also the forehead tends to be flatter.

Mouth: The mouth and tongue are made up of many muscles. Individuals with Down syndrome have low muscle tone, and therefore, the muscles in the mouth and tongue might be weaker. Contrary to what was believed before, the tongue is not bigger than normal. When the tongue is sticking out, it is a matter of low muscle tone and it can be worked on through oral exercises and speech therapy.

The muscles surrounding the mouth are also weaker and some individuals with Down syndrome, appear to have an upside down smile (a frown.)

Teeth: Teeth may come in late and in an unusual order. But it doesn't affect their smiles.

Hands: Individuals with Down syndrome tend to have shorter and chubbier fingers. As you can see in the picture bellow, many individuals with Down syndrome have just one crease across their palm, called the simian crease. For some, like for Lincoln, the pinkie finger may also appear crooked.

Feet: There may be a gap between the big toe and the rest of the toes. There might also be a deep crease on the sole of the foot where the gap is.

Low Muscle Tone: One of the most significant characteristics of Down syndrome is low muscle tone or Hypotonia. Low muscle tone affects all the muscles in the body. It affects movement, strength, speech, and development. It cannot be cured, however, there are many therapies available to help individuals with Down syndrome improve their muscle tone, such as Speech Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Occupational Therapy.

Hair: Some individuals have thin and straight hair. However, as you can see bellow, Lincoln has a head full of beautiful hair.

***** Not all individuals with Down Syndrome have all of these characteristics. Its important to remember that they resemble their families more than they do one another. After all, 46 of their chromosomes are perfectly normal!!