I know as well from my sister in laws experience that women who need screening later in their pregnancy are often offered the quadruple test that involves a blood test for 4 different chemicals combined with maternal age.

I that that it is important for parents to realise that any screening only identifies women who are at an increased risk of having a baby with Down's and estimates the extent of that risk it doesn't actually tell them for certain whether or not their baby has Down's.

Those women who are found to be at a higher risk of having a baby with Down's syndrome are offered the opportunity to have further tests to establish whether or not their child is actually affected. This may be amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling. These provide a definitive answer, but, as my sister in law as told they can trigger a miscarriage.

The other thing is that screening for Down's syndrome isn't compulsory. Women are offered it if they want to know the likelihood of having a baby with Down's syndrome. If they are at high risk, then they can then decide whether to go on for the definitive test.
If this test confirms Down's syndrome, women can then make an informed decision about continuing with their pregnancy or not.

Thank God my sister in law who did have all the tests did not have to face this choice as her baby did not have the condition. I know as well that some people do not have the test at all as they would not have a termination if the baby had Down's syndrome.

I've seen this happen before. Sometimes children are not in the physical characteristics of Down's strong. This syndrome is sometimes discovered after the doctor finds other similar signs, such as cardiovascular disease, short legs, reviews, etc. Thank God the baby is normal.

Yes, that must have been a huge relief and I had not heard of that before Horace that doctors have only discovered the presence of Down's syndrome after a baby showed signs of Down's related disorders. That must be very difficultly; I know that there are different degrees of Down's. Does it follow then that if a baby does not have the facial features, that he or she is towards the upper end of the spectrum of Down's?

Congratulations on the new addition to the family Amanda, glad that the worry is over although I have a couple of friends with Down's children and they almost say that they wouldn't have them any other way and it is true that the children are very sweet and loving.

Down's syndrome is the genetic disorder in the newly born child. It can't be acquired during life. There is no treatment of this syndrome. All the children or adults with this syndrome have the same look of their face.

That is true Brad, the facial features of Down's syndrome people are classic and recognisable by and large. I should say though that the severity of Down's syndrome can vary greatly. Many Down's syndrome people can work and live independently but then there a lot who need to be cared for all their lives. It is true that these days DS sufferers are not left out and many attend main stream school. Things have moved on a lot.