How to tell if your baby is Down syndrome and what you can do about it

Share The latest research is looking at how different types of Down syndrome are diagnosed and what the research says about how they relate to parenting.

A study published in the American Journal of Orthopsychiatry found that when parents are more confident in their diagnosis, their children tend to have better outcomes.

Researchers found that parents who had a more confident diagnosis were more likely to be able to identify a child with Down syndrome.

“The results support the idea that people who are more aware of the syndrome’s symptoms and its possible pathogenesis are better able to help families with the diagnosis,” study author Jennifer L. Schuster, a professor of pediatrics at the University of North Carolina, said in a press release.

“Parents who were confident in diagnosis also showed greater support for family and extended care arrangements for children with Down, and a positive attitude toward parenting.”

Read moreShare The study also found that having a family member who has Down syndrome helped the parents identify their child better.

“Parents with more confidence in diagnosis were able to recognize their child with the syndrome, and were more willing to provide family and social support,” Schuster said. 

What are the chances of a baby with Down Syndrome developing autism?

The new study also looked at the outcomes of children with and without Down syndrome when their parents were in a home together.

It found that children with autism who had the diagnosis were 3.7 times more likely than those who did not to have an increased risk of developing autism.

“When parents with Down were involved in the family, they were more able to address their children’s problems in a supportive way, and they were also more likely in their families to take steps to improve their childrens lives,” Schusters said.

“These benefits of shared care also applied to children with developmental disabilities.”

While this study is an observational study, it does provide some insights into how parents might respond differently to their children who have Down syndrome,” she said.