Here are 32 Down Syndrome facts.
1-5 Down Syndrome Facts
1. The average life expectancy for those with Down Syndrome has gone from 12 years in 1912 to 25 years in the 1980’s, to upwards of 60 years in the developed world today. – Source
2. When nonpregnant people are asked if they would have a termination if their fetus tested positive for Down Syndrome 23–33% said yes. When women who screened positive are asked, 89–97% say yes. – Source
3. The Millenium Bug resulted in 154 incorrect Down Syndrome results being sent to pregnant mothers; two abortions took place. – Source
4. There’s a restaurant owned by a person with Down Syndrome that offers Breakfast, Lunch, and Hugs. – Source
5. In 1965, The World Health Organisation stopped calling Down Syndrome “mongoloids” due to a delegate from Mongolia. – Source
6-10 Down Syndrome Facts
6. Parents of Down Syndrome children are less likely to divorce. – Source
7. Women with Down syndrome are fertile whereas men with Down syndrome have traditionally been considered sterile; however, there have been two documented cases of adult men with Down syndrome fathering children. – Source
8. There are identical twins where only one has Down Syndrome. – Source
9. The oldest confirmed case of Down Syndrome was found from the skeleton of a child in Medieval France 1500 years ago. – Source
10. Nearly all people with Down Syndrome exhibit Alzheimer’s Disease by age 40, due to the fact that they have an extra copy of the gene responsible for forming the plaques that lead to the disease. – Source
11-15 Down Syndrome Facts
11. Down’s Syndrome, Downs Syndrome, and Down Syndrome are all correct ways of spelling. – Source
12. Because of inbreeding, there is a tiger with Down syndrome named Kenny. – Source
13. Down Syndrome is heading for extinction in Denmark. – Source
14. A football team made up entirely of kids with Down Syndrome were training together since 2015 but never had any opponents. Irish international football star James Mclean set up a team to play the kids in their first match. – Source
15. Sujeet Desai is an accomplished musician born with Down Syndrome. Sujeet plays seven instruments and graduated from high School with honors from the Berkshire Hills Music Academy in Massachusetts. He travels worldwide to do inspirational solo music performances and self-advocacy workshops. – Source
16-20 Down Syndrome Facts
16. The Edmonton Oilers have employed Joey Moss, a man with Down Syndrome since 1986 as a member of the support staff. – Source
17. In a study of people with Down Syndrome, 99% of those surveyed indicated that they were happy with their life. – Source
18. There is a Dutch soap opera where the actors all have Down Syndrome. – Source
19. Judith Scott, institutionalized for 35 years, had no education, was deaf and mute, and had Down Syndrome; when her twin sister took her home and enrolled her in an art studio, Judith became a renowned artist whose work the art world agrees is “superb.” – Source
20. The World Down Syndrome Day is celebrated on 21st March. – Source
