“The older the mother, the higher the risk of having a baby with Down syndrome,’’ Ibrahim-Maifada told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna on Friday.

“Down syndrome is a genetic disorder. Most babies are born with 23 pairs of chromosomes within each cell for a total of 46. Majority of babies with Down syndrome are born with an extra chromosome,’’ she said.

She noted that babies born with Down syndrome faced physical and mental challenges throughout life.

They typically have distinctive body and facial features that set them apart.

They are more likely to develop slowly, and are more at risk of some medical conditions, she said.

Ibrahim-Maifada listed some of the medical conditions as delays in speech and language development, attention problems, sleep difficulties, stubbornness and tantrums, delays in recognition, and delayed toilet training.

She also listed physical signs of Down syndrome to include short, stocky physical size; with a short neck, poor muscle tone, flattened facial features, especially the bridge of the nose, and small ears.

Others are almond-shaped eyes that slant upward, small hands and feet, single deep crease across the center of the palm.

She listed other medical conditions associated with Down syndrome to include heart problems, thyroid abnormalities, auditory and vision problems and low fertility rate males.

“About 50 per cent of women with Down syndrome are able to bear children. The possibility of risk of their children having the condition is between 35 per cent and 50 per cent,’’ Ibrahim-Maifada.

Source: NAN

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The financial assistance of N1million to N2.5million was given to 15 families of persons living with cerebral palsy and down syndrome.

Speaking during Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month and Down Syndrome Day Celebration in Lagos on Sunday, Governor Sanwo-Olu said he was committed to seeing that at least two more special centres that would cater for the care of persons living with the conditions were established in the state.

Governor Sanwo-Olu also promised a 30-year old graduate from the Lagos State Polytechnic, Mr. Anthony Kupe, an employment into the civil service.

The governor who took time to meet with, listen to, celebrate with and show support to families of persons living with cerebral palsy and down syndrome, was accompanied to the event by his wife Dr. (Mrs) Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu; Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mr. Segun Dawodu; Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Dr. Aina and General Manager of Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA), Mr. Dare Ogundairo.

Among the beneficiaries of Governor Sanwo-Olu’s gesture was the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, housing four abandoned children living with Cerebral Palsy.

The Chief Medical Director, CMD, of LUTH who was represented by Prof. Adeyemo informed that the hospital wanted the state government to take over the care of the children, saying that the oldest among them had been staying at LUTH for at least 22 years.

During the event, suggestions on creating a hub to develop and expand the creativity of persons with cerebral palsy and down syndrome, capacity building for caregivers, doing more with the inclusive curriculum in education, creating awareness on the kinds of assistive devices for cerebral palsy and down syndrome, as well as creating a Cerebral Palsy unit in all the local government areas were put forward by parents and caregivers.

Senior Special Assistant to Governor Sanwo-Olu on Persons Living With Disability, Adenike Oyetunde-Lawal, revealed that the recipients were selected randomly from a wide pool of persons and families with cerebral Palsy, because the governor was keen on interacting with as many as he could to get the best results for all concerned.

Among the organisations and participants who attended the event were Cerebral Palsy Centre, Down Syndrome Foundation of Nigeria and Modupe Cole Foundation, among others.

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