Down Syndrome Research Paper

Words: 587
Pages: 3

Disability is something we all view differently. When you hear “disabled”, what come to mind? It may be someone who is missing a limb, someone who is deaf or blind. Some people tend to forget that aside from physical disability there is also mental and intellectual disability. Down Syndrome is the most common chromosomal condition in the United States. Down syndrome causes physical growth delays, characteristic facial features and mild to moderate intellectual disability; it is a mental disability that affect all aspects of not only someones life but also of those around them. The disorder makes it much more difficult for someone to learn how to do simple daily tasks. Life for people with Down syndrome was much more difficult and cruel before it was discovered and given proper …show more content…
Symptoms of Down Syndrome were seen in 1866, art work shows that it may have been around in 1500 BC, now there are more than 400,000 people in the world with it. Evidence of Down Syndrome were found in statues in Central America. The statues were made by the Olmec people between 1500 BC and 300 AD. An article found on cdadc.com states that archeologists found a statue that resembles a child with Down syndrome. It saids “ a large number of figurines that closely resemble a child with Down’s Syndrome, featuring round, puffy faces, slanted eyes, epicanthic folds on the eyes, a short nose with a broad flat bridge, and obesity”. Although there were no scriptures telling the way these children acted, they do meet the physical resemblance of a child with Down syndrome. During Medieval times, many infants with disabilities were abandoned or killed. It was believed that if someone were to have a child with disability it was because that person must have a hidden sin and the Gods are punishing them