Posted by happyflower on October 21, 2007, at 21:12:59
In reply to Re: What a little precious angle! » Phillipa, posted by happyflower on October 21, 2007, at 20:25:35
This is what she has.
What are the characteristics of Trisomy 18?
The extra genetic material from the additional eighteenth chromosome can cause a variety of problems with varying severity. Just as children with Down Syndrome can range from mildly to severely affected, so can children with Trisomy 18. Therefore there is no hard and fast rule about what Trisomy 18 will mean for your child. However statistics show that there is a high mortality rate for children with Trisomy 18 before or shortly after birth.
Some of the typical characteristics of Trisomy 18 can include heart defects such as VSD (Ventricular Septal Defect - a hole between the lower chambers of the heart) , ASD (Atrial Septal Defect - a hole between the upper chambers of the heart), and coarctation of the aorta (a narrowing of the exit vessel from the heart), kidney abnormalities, omphalocele (a portion of the intestinal tract is located outside the stomach in a sac), esophageal atresia (the esophagus does not connect to the stomach, meaning the baby cannot eat by mouth), and polyhydramnios (excess amniotic fluid), clenched hands, choroid plexus cysts (a pocket of fluid on the brain that is not problematic in itself but may be a marker for Trisomy 18), rocker bottom feet, and delayed growth, micrognathia (small jaw), low-set ears, and a strawberry-shaped head, as well as severe developmental delays.
poster:happyflower
thread:790094
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20071009/msgs/790562.html