How do you know if your child has down syndrome?

Question

Is there a way to tell if a seven month baby has down syndrome?

Answer 1

You should go see ur doctor and discuss it with them. A simple blood test can diagnose the majority of chromosomal abnormalities, and they also will be able to refer u to a paediatrician who will know what signs to look for.

I really don't think u have anything to worry about because these kinds of things r noticed by the doctors and midwives at birth. But I do think this is what u should do to ease ur mind and reassure u that ur baby is perfect :o)

Good luck

Answer 2

they would probably have been able to detect that while you were pregnant...

Answer 3

sometimes the baby will have webbed toes which is an indicator but please understand webbed toes are actually quite common so this can mean nothing other than simply what it is too!  My friends baby has DS and they found this indicator at birth and warned the paretns what it meant.  

Edit: found this for you:

Characteristics

There are over 50 clinical signs of Down syndrome, but it is rare to find all or even most of them in one person. Some common characteristics include:

Poor muscle tone

Slanting eyes with folds of skin at the inner corners (called epicanthal folds)

Hyperflexibility (excessive ability to extend the joints)

Short, broad hands with a single crease across the palm on one or both hands

Broad feet with short toes

Flat bridge of the nose

Short, low-set ears

Short neck

Small head

Small oral cavity

Short, high-pitched cries in infancy

Individuals with Down syndrome are usually smaller than their non-disabled peers, and their physical as well as intellectual development is slower.

Besides having a distinct physical appearance, children with Down syndrome frequently have specific health-related problems. A lowered resistance to infection makes these children more prone to respiratory problems. Visual problems such as crossed eyes and far- or nearsightedness are higher in those with Down syndrome, as are mild to moderate hearing loss and speech difficulty.

Approximately one third of babies born with Down syndrome have heart defects, most of which are now successfully correctable. Some individuals are born with gastrointestinal tract problems that can be surgically corrected.

Some people with Down syndrome also may have a condition known as Atlantoaxial Instability, a misalignment of the top two vertebrae of the neck. This condition makes these individuals more prone to injury if they participate in activities which overextend or flex the neck. Parents are urged to have their child examined by a physician to determine whether or not their child should be restricted from sports and activities which place stress on the neck. Although this misalignment is a potentially serious condition, proper diagnosis can help prevent serious injury.

Children with Down syndrome may have a tendency to become obese as they grow older. Besides having negative social implications, this weight gain threatens these individuals' health and longevity. A supervised diet and exercise program may help reduce this problem.

Answer 4

A doctor would have been able to tell much earlier than now.  Facial features of a DS child are very obvious.

Answer 5

Usually by how they look, People with down syndrome have very distinct facial features.  

Answer 6

they tell you at birth

Answer 7

While rare, iIt is possible for a child to have DS and not be detected. A simple blood test would tell you.

However, if you think there is something different about your child, it could be hundreds of different conditions. The best thing to do is go to a doctor called a geneticist who knows about those things and can help you find the right diagnosis, and the right treatment if necessary. There are lots of things that can help a child with developmental delays, but they need to happen as soon as possible.

Answer 8

like "boogagboo" stated there are many characteristics of DS.  the thing to mention here though is that not every child born with this condition has all of these characteristics or even some of them....it varies from person to person. Mosaics down syndrome which is not as common is hard to "see" since it only affects certain cells in the body and children born with this do not ''look'' like they have 'typical down syndrome" (or trisomy 21, which is the most common) it may be seen in other ways such as development. the way to determine if a 7 month old child would have DS would be to have a dna test done where they would look at the chromosomes of the child. the best thing would be to consult a pediatrician with your concerns and go from there.

Answer 9

Down's Syndrome is almost always apparent by first week of baby's life.

There are other conditions of abnormal development.

What does your pediatrician have to say about the situation?