The Effects of Medical Comorbidities on Neurodevelopmental Features in Children with Down Syndrome

Background: Down Syndrome (DS) is one of the most common genetic anomalies observed in approximately one out of 700 live births, which occurs as a result of an excess of chromosome 21 (trisomy 21). Cognitive development in DS children is generally in the range of moderate to severe retardation, and mental age is rarely above eight years. The aim of this study is to investigate the neurodevelopmental characteristics of children with DS between the ages of 1-6 and their relationship with comorbid medical pathologies. Materials and Methods: A total of 83 DS children who applied to the child and adolescent mental health outpatient unit, were included in the study, and the relationships between sociodemographic and medical histories and neurodevelopmental characteristics were analyzed. Denver II Developmental Screening Test was used to evaluate their development. Four areas were evaluated: gross motor development, fine motor development, language-cognitive development and personal-social development. Results: The rates of medical comorbidities in children with DS was 75.9% (38 had heart problems, 17 had thyroid dysfunction, and 8 had epilepsy). There was no statistically significant difference between genders in terms of Denver II Developmental Screening Test scores. Children with hypothyroidism have significantly lower Denver II Developmental Screening Test scores in all domains. Other medical comorbidities did not have a significant effect on Denver II Developmental Screening Test scores. Conclusions: Concomitant medical diseases in children with DS may affect the development of the child. Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment of these conditions is essential. Due to the negative effects of hypothyroidism on the development of children, care should be taken in the treatment and close follow-up of these children.