Sunny and friendly: today is the International Day of People with Down Syndrome
Kyiv • UNN
The International Day of People with Down Syndrome is an event aimed at raising awareness of the disease caused by an extra chromosome, improving the quality of life, and celebrating the kindness and positivity of people with this condition. The symbol of the event is bright, unpaired socks.
Today, March 21, various events are taking place in many countries around the world on the occasion of the International Day of People with Down Syndrome, UNN reports.
Down syndrome is a congenital genetic disorder described in 1866 by the English physician John Down. It is caused by the presence of an extra chromosome in 21 pairs.
These children have 47 chromosomes in their karyotype instead of the usual 46. They have a distinctive appearance, an increased risk of a certain range of diseases, and a certain mental retardation, which causes slower mental development compared to healthy individuals and poorer social adaptation.
But at the same time, such children are kind and positive, so they are also called sunny.
Today's event was launched at the initiative of the French Association for the Study of Trisomy 21 and was recognized by the United Nations in 2011.
The date of the events was not chosen by chance: 21.03 is the decoding of trisomy in 21 pairs of chromosomes.
According to WHO statistics, every 700th baby in the world is born with Down syndrome (140 children per 100,000 live births).
According to doctors, about 300 children with this genetic disorder are born in Ukraine every year on average.
The International Day of People with Down Syndrome aims to draw public attention to the problems of people with disabilities, because they are slightly different from ordinary people in terms of intelligence and many of them suffer from congenital heart defects, but their kindness, sincerity and spontaneity compensate for all the things in which they differ from ordinary people, and often surpass them.
Improving the quality of life of people with Down syndrome involves meeting their health care needs through regular check-ups with health care professionals. These examinations should assess both mental and physical health, allowing for timely interventions such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, counseling, or special education when needed.
Everyone who joins today's event is required to wear brightly colored, odd socks as a symbol of the extra chromosome in the 21 pairs.
