Complications of Down Syndrome

Complications list for Down Syndrome:

The list of complications that have been mentioned in various sources for Down Syndrome includes:

• Difficulty breastfeeding - from tongue and mouth abnormalities.
• Mental retardation
• Enlarged tongue
• Round facial features
• Flattened facial features (see Facial feature symptoms)
• Hypothyroidism
• Conductive hearing loss - due to ear abnormalities; 66-89% of Down patients have some level of hearing loss in at least one ear (NIDCD).
• Immune system abnormalities (see Immune symptoms)
• Respiratory infections
• Pneumonia - the risk is 62 times higher than in non-Down (NIDCD).
• Leukemia - risk is 10-15 times higher than in non-Down people.
• Alzheimer's disease
• Congenital heart disease - about half Down patients
• Congenital intestinal atresia - types of bowel blockage
• Congenital deafness
• Pulmonary hypertension
• Vision disorders
• Cataracts
• Seizures - about 3-13% of Down patients (NIDCD).
• Atlantoaxial instability - a spinal cord condition that can cause spinal cord compression if not treated.
• Constipation - in newborns if hypotonia affects digestive muscles.
• Transient myelodysplasia
• Reduced sperm count
• Premature aging
• Alzheimer's like condition (see Dementia) - typically occurring before age 40.
  • Dementia
  • Memory loss
  • Impaired judgment (see Cognitive impairment)

See also the symptoms of Down Syndrome and Down Syndrome: Introduction.

Complications and sequelae of Down Syndrome from the Diseases Database include:

• Palmoplantar keratosis
• Brachydactyly
• Dizzyness
• Nausea and vomiting
• Brachycephaly
• Hypotonia (skeletal muscle)
• Atrial septal defect
• Intrauterine growth retardation
• Nystagmus
• Odontoid hypoplasia
• Intrauterine death
• Abnormal dermatoglyphics
• Abdominal pain
• Cataracts
• Hearing loss
• Sensorineural hearing loss
• Congenital heart disease
• Learning disability
• Facies abnormality
• Tooth eruption delayed
• Brushfield's spots
• Uric acid levels raised (plasma or serum)
• Testosterone levels low (serum)
• Hypothyroidism
• Atlantoaxial subluxation
• Ventricular septal defect
• Short stature
• Bowel obstruction
• Alpha fetoprotein levels low (serum)
• Tooth loss
• Perinatal morbidity
• Macroglossia

See also the symptoms of Down Syndrome and Down Syndrome: Introduction.

Down Syndrome Symptoms: Book Excerpts

• Signs and symptoms - Trisomy 13 syndrome
• Signs and symptoms - Down syndrome
• Signs and symptoms - Trisomy 18 syndrome
• Signs and symptoms - Down syndrome

Complication statistics for Down Syndrome:

The following are statistics from various sources about the complications of Down Syndrome:

• 40 to 50% of children with Down syndrome have congenital heart defects in the US (Association for Children with Down Syndrome)
• Having Down syndrome increases the risk of leukaemia 15-20 times in the US (Association for Children with Down Syndrome)
• 100% of people with Down syndrome will develop some physiologic signs of Alzheimer’s when they are over 35 years old in the US (Association for Children with Down Syndrome)

You may also want to research other symptoms in our Symptoms Center.

About complications:

Complications of Down Syndrome are secondary conditions, symptoms, or other disorders that are caused by Down Syndrome. In many cases the distinction between symptoms of Down Syndrome and complications of Down Syndrome is unclear or arbitrary.

 » Next page: Misdiagnosis of Down Syndrome

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