Wetin be Down syndrome?

Di international day to raise public awareness around Down syndrome (DS) na on 21 March.

United Nations don dey officially observe World Down Syndrome Day since 2012.

E dey fall on di 21st day of di third month of di year, “to signify di uniqueness of di triplication (trisomy) of di 21st chromosome wey dey cause Down syndrome”, organisers tok.

Dis year theme na 'End di Stereotypes.' E aim to fight di idea about pipo wit Down syndrome and wetin dem fit be like or wetin dem fit do.

Wetin e be?

Down syndrome na wen dem born pikin wit extra chromosome. Di genetic condition dey affect pesin learning and physical features.

E no be disease, illness or condition wey pesin fit catch. Down syndrome dey happun naturally - e no get cause.

Pipo wey dem born wit am usually get extra chromosome by chance, becos of change in di sperm or egg before dem born di pikin.

E dey exist in all regions across di globe and dey commonly result in different effects on learning styles, physical characteristics and health, UN tok.

Around one in everi 800 babies wey dem born fit get di condition, according to di organisers of World Down Syndrome Day.

We get three types: trisomy 21 (wey be di most common type - wia three copies of chromosome 21 dey), translocation and mosaicism.

Di syndrome imself dey named afta Dr John Langdon Down wey be di first pesin to categorise am.

Wetin be di five signs of Down syndrome?

Physical signs fit include:

(Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Any treatment dey for Down syndrome?

Treatments no dey for di syndrome.

Dem fit give help base on each pesin physical and intellectual need, strength, and limitation.

Adequate access to health care, early intervention programme and inclusive education, as well as correct research, dey important to di growth and development of di individual, UN tok.

Di quality of life of pipo wit Down syndrome (DS) fit see improvement by meeting dia health care need, e add.

Dis fit include regular check-ups wit health professionals to monitor mental and physical condition and to provide timely intervention such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, counselling or special education, e tok.

Dis one dey facilitate dia participation in mainstream society and di fulfilment of dia personal potential.

Many dey live good quality of life, attend mainstream school and work, and some dey marry and live independently.

Some get secured high-profile jobs, such as Mar Galcerán for Spain, wey dem elect as lawmaker for Valencia regional assembly for di east of di kontri.

She be di first pesin wit di condition to join European regional or national parliament.

Also Ellie Goldstein dey, wey don make history as di first model wit DS to feature on di front cover of Vogue - even though doctors don tok say she no go fit waka or tok becos of di syndrome.

And Heidi Crowter na British disability rights activist wit DS wey dey challenge law wey dey allow make dem fit comot foetuses wit di condition up until birth.

She don take her case to di European Court of Human Rights. She tok say di current rules dey discriminatory.