Children's Health

Tools & Resources

Font Size

Diseases associated with Down syndrome

People with Down syndrome have an increased risk of being born with or developing certain diseases, such as:

Heart disease. About half of children with Down syndrome have heart defects at birth.¹ These defects may need early treatment to prevent heart failure.
Thyroid disease. Thyroid disease develops in some children with Down syndrome. Sometimes thyroid disease is detected at birth, but most often it is diagnosed when the child is older or an adult. An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) is more common than an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism). It occurs in about 5 out of 100 people with Down syndrome.²
Digestive system problems. Constipation and intestinal blockages can develop because of poor muscle tone (hypotonia). Celiac disease, which is an inability to break down gluten protein, sometimes develops and requires a special diet. In rare cases, structural defects within the digestive tract cause problems such as tracheoesophageal fistula or abnormal narrowing (stenosis) of the duodenum.
Eye problems. Children with Down syndrome may have eye problems, some of which are minor (blepharitis, blocked tear ducts, astigmatism, strabismus, nearsightedness, and farsightedness). Serious problems, such as cataracts or diseases of the cornea, are less common.
Alzheimer's disease. An adult with Down syndrome has an increased risk for developing Alzheimer's disease.
Childhood leukemia. Although the risk for developing leukemia is low (less than 1%), a child with Down syndrome is at greater risk than other children.²

But keep in mind-your child with Down syndrome may never have any of these problems even though he or she is at increased risk.

Recommended Related to Children

How to Help a Stuttering Child

It is not uncommon for a child between the ages of 2 and 5 to have a period of temporary stuttering. This is a crucial time of speech and language development. The stutter may persist for a couple of weeks or months. Other children never grow out of this speech disorder, continuing to stutter into adulthood. Whether or not your child's stutter is temporary or permanent, learn all you can so you have the resources you need to help your stuttering child.

Read the How to Help a Stuttering Child article > >

Also, people with Down syndrome have less of a chance than most people of developing coronary artery disease and cancer (except leukemia and testicular cancer).³

Citations

Elias ER, et al. (2009). Chromosomal disorders: Trisomies section of Genetics and dysmorphology. In WW Hay et al., eds., Current Diagnosis and Treatment: Pediatrics, 19th ed., pp. 999-1002. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Saitta SC, Zackai EH (2005). Specific chromosome disorders in newborns. In HW Taeusch et al., eds., Avery's Diseases of the Newborn, 8th ed., pp. 204-215. Philadelphia: Elsevier Saunders.

Roizen NJ, Patterson D (2003). Down's syndrome. Lancet, 361: 1281-1289.

By	Healthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer	Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics
Specialist Medical Reviewer	Siobhan M. Dolan, MD, MPH - Reproductive Genetics
Specialist Medical Reviewer	David Smith, MD - Family Medicine
Last Revised	August 4, 2009

WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise

Last Updated: August 04, 2009

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information.