Awareness of Students with Diverse Learning Needs,
What the Teacher Needs to Know, Volume 1

Recognizing the Child with Down Syndrome

Usually the condition is recognized at birth, on the basis of characteristic features or through chromosome testing.

Common observable physical features may be:

• A round face with a flat nasal bridge.
• A small head, somewhat flattened at the back.
• Upward slanting eyes.
• Deterioration of walking ability, staggering, neck pain, muscle weakness and spasm.
• A small mouth cavity.
• Small ears, folded at the top.
• Stubby hands, feet and short fingers.
• Low muscle tone. Muscles appear relaxed and "floppy".
• A stocky build.

Most children with Down syndrome exhibit only a few of these and many other possible features. The only feature common to all is some degree of intellectual disability.