World Down Syndrome Day 2023: History, Significance & Everything You Need to Know about this Condition

The first World Down Syndrome Day was observed on March 21 in 2006. The uniqueness of the triplication of the 21st chromosome, which produces Down syndrome, is symbolized by the choice of the 21st day of March.

History and significance

With effect from 2012, the General Assembly decided to observe World Down Syndrome Day on March 21 every year. To increase public awareness of Down syndrome, the General Assembly invites all Member States, relevant United Nations agencies, other international organizations, and members of civil society, including non-governmental organizations and the private sector, to observe World Down Syndrome Day in an appropriate way.

Every year, International Down Syndrome Day is marked to increase public understanding of the condition. According to the official website of Down Syndrome International, on World Down Syndrome Day, people with Down syndrome and those who live and work with them organize and take part in activities and events to create public awareness and a single global voice advocating for the rights, inclusion, and well-being of people with Down syndrome.

Theme

“Inclusion Means” is the theme for World Down Syndrome Day this year. The UN asks for “full and effective involvement and inclusion in society” in the main principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD).

People with Down syndrome and other disabilities, however, do not gain from full and effective involvement or inclusion in society as a whole. This is due to a variety of factors, one of which is a lack of consensus around what inclusion is and how inclusive systems actually operate.

What is DS and what causes it?

An extra chromosome causes the disorder known as Down syndrome. In the body, chromosomes are discrete “packages” of genes. They control how a baby’s body develops during pregnancy and after birth, determining how it will look and function. A newborn typically has 46 chromosomes. One of these chromosomes, chromosome 21, has an extra copy in infants with Down syndrome.

Trisomy is the medical term for having an extra copy of a chromosome. Trisomy 21 is another term used to describe Down syndrome. The newborn may experience difficulties with their mental and physical development as a result of this additional copy, which alters how their body and brain grow.

Even while some individuals with Down syndrome may act and appear alike, each one has unique skills. Individuals with Down syndrome typically have mild to moderately low IQs (a measure of intelligence) and speak more slowly than other children.

Physical characteristics and developmental difficulties that can emerge in people with Down syndrome are caused by the extra copy of chromosome 21. Researchers are aware that one extra chromosome causes Down syndrome, but they are unsure of the exact cause or the multiplicity of contributing factors.

The mother’s age is one factor that raises the chance of having a child with Down syndrome. Compared to women who become pregnant at a younger age, women who are 35 years or older are more likely to have a pregnancy affected by Down syndrome. However, because there are so many more births among younger women, the majority of newborns with Down syndrome are born to moms under the age of 35.

Understanding the importance and reason for observing this day is essential to drawing attention to the condition in a positive light.