Physical features
There are as many as 120 features described in Down's syndrome Define Down's syndrome but no one individual will carry them all, indeed most people have only seven or eight.
- Face
- Usually rounded with a flatter side view.
- Head
- Back of the head is slightly flattened (brachycephaly).
- Eyes
- Slant slightly upwards. There is often a small fold of skin that runs vertically between the inner corner of the eye and the bridge of the nose (epicanthic fold) - this can also be seen in babies who do not have Down's syndrome. The fold becomes less prominent as the child gets older. Eyes often have white or yellow spots around the iris (Brushfield spots) - these do not affect vision and can also be seen in other children - again, they often disappear in later life.
- Neck
- Uusually short and stocky, there may be excess skin over the back of the neck in newborn babies but this is often disappears as the baby grows.
- Mouth
- Mouth is smaller than average and the tongue is usually thicker and larger, which leads to the tongue hanging out of the mouth. Children are taught to hold their tongue in their mouth once they have the control to do so.
- Hands
- Broad with short fingers, the little finger often has only one joint and curves inwards. There is only a single crease running across the palm.
- Feet
- Tend to be broad and short, toes are widely spaced.
- Tone
- Arms, legs and necks of infants with Down's syndrome are floppy - this gets better as the child gets older. Low tone does not mean muscle weakness.
- Body size
- Babies are usually smaller than average at birth and therefore weigh less, children are smaller than their peers. Adult height is at the bottom end of the normal range.
Despite these common characteristics, it is important to remember that people with Down's syndrome more closely resemble their parents and siblings Define Sibling in appearance, than other people with Down's syndrome.