Group starts 21-day awareness ahead of 2022 Down-Syndrome Day

Engraced Ones Prayer Support and Advocacy Initiative, an NGO, has
started a 21-day social media awareness ahead of the 2022 World Down-Syndrome Day (WDSD), annually celebrated on March 21.

Our correspondent reports that down-syndrome is a genetic chromosome 21 disorder, causing developmental and intellectual delays.

It is commonly caused by chromosome replication errors in which there are three copies of chromosome 21 instead of two, an illness which is visible in some children, making them to have distinct facial appearance, intellectual disability and developmental delays which may be associated with thyroid or heart disease.

WDSD is, therefore, a day set aside by the UN since 2012 to signify the uniqueness of the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome which causes down syndrome.

Some features of the condition include eyes that slant up at the outer corner, small ears, flat nose, protruding
tongue, short neck, among others

The Convener of the NGO, Mrs Biboara Yinkere, told our correspondent on Monday in Abuja that the group embarked on awareness on social to enlighten parents who may not know about the health condition.

According to her, the social media awareness started since March 1 to draw parents’ attention about down-syndrome, and the need for proper management of such children.

She added that “March 21 of every year is World Down-Syndrome Day; I have a child with down-syndrome and this is part of the advocacy we do in our group.

“We have parents in the group with children with down-syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism and other conditions. So every high traffic day for each of these conditions, we celebrate them, so this year, we are doing aggressive sensitisation on social media for 21 days.

“We are creating awareness on the salient points of down-syndrome, things in the textbooks that talk about this illness and also what we should do to these children that are living with down-syndrome at home.

“Down-syndrome is a chromo-zonal disorder, children with down-syndrome were born that way, it is not the
fault of the mother or the father, it is an implication of chromo-zone 21 looking different, so, everything about these children is different and this is as a result of the extra chromo-zone they have.

“Most children with the condition have congenital heart disease which is treatable, and some of them also have
thyroid problem and respiratory issues.

“Down-syndrome doesn’t have a medical cure yet, but it can be managed through healthcare and education.”

Yinkere said that down-syndrome affect the learning ability of a child, as such children require the help of a
specialist.

She added that the NGO was, therefore, doing a one-on-one engagement in schools, creating awareness ahead of the March 21 WDSD celebration.