eMedicine Specialties > Dermatology > Pediatric Diseases

Down Syndrome: Treatment & Medication

Author: Assen L Dourmishev, MD, PhD, DSc, Professor of Dermatology, Consultant Dermatologist, Department of Dermatology, Medical Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs
Coauthor(s): Camila K Janniger, MD, Clinical Professor of Dermatology, Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Chief of Pediatric Dermatology, New Jersey Medical School
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Jul 1, 2009

Treatment

Medical Care

No specific therapy exists for the congenital problems of patients with Down syndrome.

  • The treatment is generally directed to the cardiac and respiratory complications or against associated diseases (eg, leukemia, tumors).
  • Dermatologic problems and bacterial infections must be treated with appropriate medicines.

Consultations

A referral to a genetics counseling program is highly desirable. Many of these children benefit highly by being referred so that they can obtain good education and rehabilitation opportunities. Consultation with an ophthalmologist has also been recommended.15

More on Down Syndrome

Overview: Down Syndrome
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Down Syndrome
Treatment & Medication: Down Syndrome
Follow-up: Down Syndrome
Multimedia: Down Syndrome
References
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References

  1. Down JL. Observations on an ethnic classification of idiots. 1866. Ment Retard. Feb 1995;33(1):54-6. [Medline].

  2. Lejeune J, Gautier M, Turpin R. [Study of somatic chromosomes from 9 mongoloid children.] Article in French. C R Hebd Seances Acad Sci. Mar 16 1959;248(11):1721-2. [Medline].

  3. Reeves RH, Baxter LL, Richtsmeier JT. Too much of a good thing: mechanisms of gene action in Down syndrome. Trends Genet. Feb 2001;17(2):83-8. [Medline].

  4. Cheon MS, Shim KS, Kim SH, Hara A, Lubec G. Protein levels of genes encoded on chromosome 21 in fetal Down syndrome brain: Challenging the gene dosage effect hypothesis (Part IV). Amino Acids. Jul 2003;25(1):41-7. [Medline].

  5. [Guideline] American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Screening for fetal chromosomal abnormalities. National Guideline Clearinghouse. Jan 2007;[Full Text].

  6. Scherbenske JM, Benson PM, Rotchford JP, James WD. Cutaneous and ocular manifestations of Down syndrome. J Am Acad Dermatol. May 1990;22(5 Pt 2):933-8. [Medline].

  7. Bhatt S, Schreck R, Graham JM, Korenberg JR, Hurvitz CG, Fischel-Ghodsian N. Transient leukemia with trisomy 21: description of a case and review of the literature. Am J Med Genet. Sep 25 1995;58(4):310-4. [Medline].

  8. Wilms A, Dummer R. [Elastosis perforans serpiginosa in Down syndrome]. Hautarzt. Dec 1997;48(12):923-5. [Medline].

  9. Masjkey D, Bhattacharya S, Dhungel S, et al. Utility of phenotypic dermal indices in the detection of Down syndrome patients. Nepal Med Coll J. Dec 2007;9(4):217-21. [Medline].

  10. Daneshpazhooh M, Nazemi TM, Bigdeloo L, Yoosefi M. Mucocutaneous findings in 100 children with Down syndrome. Pediatr Dermatol. May-Jun 2007;24(3):317-20. [Medline].

  11. Feingold M, Schneller S. Down syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus. Clin Genet. Nov 1995;48(5):277. [Medline].

  12. Lerner LH, Wiss K, Gellis S, Barnhill R. An unusual pustular eruption in an infant with Down syndrome and a congenital leukemoid reaction. J Am Acad Dermatol. Aug 1996;35(2 Pt 2):330-3. [Medline].

  13. Miller JR. Dermatoglyphics. J Invest Dermatol. Jun 1973;60(6):435-42. [Medline].

  14. Reed TE, Borgaonkar DS, Conneally PM, Yu P, Nance WE, Christian JC. Dermatoglyphic nomogram for the diagnosis of Down's syndrome. J Pediatr. Dec 1970;77(6):1024-32. [Medline].

  15. Liyanage S, Barnes J. The eye and Down's syndrome. Br J Hosp Med (Lond). 2008;69(11):632-4. [Medline].

  16. Borgaonkar DS, Davis M, Bolling DR, Herr HM. Evaluation of dermal patterns in Down's syndrome by predictive discrimination. I. Preliminary analysis based on frequencies of patterns. Johns Hopkins Med J. Mar 1971;128(3):141-52. [Medline].

  17. Desmons F, Bar J, Brandt A. Les signes cutanes du mongolisme (trisomie 21). Bull Soc fr Dermatol et Syphiligr. 1973;80:233-7.

  18. Dourmishev A, Miteva L, Mitev V, Pramatarov K, Schwartz RA. Cutaneous aspects of Down syndrome. Cutis. Dec 2000;66(6):420-4. [Medline].

  19. Ercis M, Balci S, Atakan N. Dermatological manifestations of 71 Down syndrome children admitted to a clinical genetics unit. Clin Genet. Nov 1996;50(5):317-20. [Medline].

  20. Johnson N, Fahey C, Chicoine B, Chong G, Gitelman D. Effects of donepezil on cognitive functioning in Down syndrome. Am J Ment Retard. Nov 2003;108(6):367-72. [Medline].

  21. Rex AP, Preus M. A diagnostic index for Down syndrome. J Pediatr. Jun 1982;100(6):903-6. [Medline].

  22. Roizen NJ. Down syndrome: progress in research. Ment Retard Dev Disabil Res Rev. 2001;7(1):38-44. [Medline].

  23. Satge D, Sommelet D, Geneix A, Nishi M, Malet P, Vekemans M. A tumor profile in Down syndrome. Am J Med Genet. Jul 7 1998;78(3):207-16. [Medline].

  24. Scott JA, Wenger SL, Steele MW, Chakravarti A. Down syndrome consequent to a cryptic maternal 12p;21q chromosome translocation. Am J Med Genet. Mar 13 1995;56(1):67-71. [Medline].

  25. Soares SR, Templado C, Blanco J, Egozcue J, Vidal F. Numerical chromosome abnormalities in the spermatozoa of the fathers of children with trisomy 21 of paternal origin: generalised tendency to meiotic non-disjunction. Hum Genet. Feb 2001;108(2):134-9. [Medline].

  26. Thomas L, Augey F, Chamchikh N, Barrut D, Moulin G. [Cutaneous signs of trisomy 21]. Ann Dermatol Venereol. 1994;121(4):346-50. [Medline].

  27. Viner RM, Shimura N, Brown BD, Green AJ, Hughes IA. Down syndrome in association with features of the androgen insensitivity syndrome. J Med Genet. Jul 1996;33(7):574-7. [Medline].

  28. Vintzileos AM, Egan JF. Adjusting the risk for trisomy 21 on the basis of second-trimester ultrasonography. Am J Obstet Gynecol. Mar 1995;172(3):837-44. [Medline].

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Further Reading

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Keywords

Down syndrome, Down's syndrome, trisomy 21 syndrome, mongolism, congenital acromicria syndrome

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Assen L Dourmishev, MD, PhD, DSc, Professor of Dermatology, Consultant Dermatologist, Department of Dermatology, Medical Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs
Assen L Dourmishev, MD, PhD, DSc is a member of the following medical societies: European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology and Sigma Xi
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Camila K Janniger, MD, Clinical Professor of Dermatology, Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Chief of Pediatric Dermatology, New Jersey Medical School
Camila K Janniger, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Albert C Yan, MD, Section Chief, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Dermatology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and University of Pennsylvania
Albert C Yan, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American Academy of Pediatrics, Society for Investigative Dermatology, and Society for Pediatric Dermatology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Michael J Wells, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Dermatology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
Michael J Wells, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American Medical Association, and Texas Medical Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

Robert A Schwartz, MD, MPH, Professor and Head, Dermatology, Professor of Pathology, Pediatrics, Medicine, and Preventive Medicine and Community Health, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School
Robert A Schwartz, MD, MPH is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American College of Physicians, and Sigma Xi
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Glen H Crawford, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; Chief, Division of Dermatology, The Pennsylvania Hospital
Glen H Crawford, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American Medical Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society of USAF Flight Surgeons
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Dirk M Elston, MD, Director, Department of Dermatology, Geisinger Medical Center
Dirk M Elston, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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