Down Syndrome, Difficulties In Learning

Down Syndrome, Difficulties in Learning

Our body is made up of millions and millions of cells, each one contains a nucleus, where genetic material is stored in genes. The genes carry the codes responsible for all our inherited features and are grouped along structures called chromosomes. Normally, the core of each cell contains 23 pairs of chromosomes, half of which are inherited from each parent (father and mother).

But in the case of a child with Down syndrome, it does not have that same process in the there is an error in the cell division called ‘non -disjunction’ that results in an embryo with three copies of chromosome 21 instead of the usual two. Before or in the conception, a couple of chromosomes 21 In the sperm or the ovule cannot separate, as the embryo develops, the extra chromosome is replicated in each cell of the body there are other types of expression of said genetic mutation as is the case of mosaicism that occurs when non -disjunction of chromosome 21 is carried out in one but not all initial cell divisions after fertilization. When this occurs, there is a mixture of two types of cells, some containing the 46 usual chromosomes and others containing 47. These cells with 47 chromosomes contain an extra chromosome 21, and in other cases it can be given through the translocation where part of chromosome 21 is broken during cell division and connects to another chromosome, usually chromosome 14. While the total number of chromosomes in the cells remain 46, causing the presence of an extra piece of chromosome 21.

Obviously not all people born with this syndrome have a pathology of the same intensity, nor follow the same development process; As with the people considered normal at birth, personal factors mold and modify to some degree brain development, according to the plasticity that neurons have, as well as there are cases in which they present the syndrome in a contrary way and possess other physical and psychological characteristics.

We find a series of quite common characteristics that hinder or delay the cognitive development of these children:

• In general, the learning process is slower.
• They usually specify more time to achieve curricular objectives, which implies more years of schooling.
• They present difficulties with information processing: both at the reception of it, and when applying it to specific situations.
• It is difficult to correlate and elaborate the concepts learned to make sequential and logical decisions
• Problems to handle various information, especially if they are presented simultaneously
• Difficulties of abstraction and conceptualization due to their cognitive limitations.
• Greater ease to forget what they learned.
• Little initiative and proactivity.
• They do not usually ask for help when they do not understand something or have a hard time carrying out an activity.
• They try to avoid facing new activities or challenges.

But it should be noted that given their best visual perception, they learn more easily if they rely on signs, gestures, signals, images, drawings, graphics, pictograms or any other type of visual key. Its high capacity for observation and imitation could be used to favor and reinforce the acquisition of different learning, using the so -called observation or vicar learning whenever possible it would be an option that any school could adapt and rather, it would favor many of students who are considered “normal” in the school environment and who capable some problems with studies.

We would avoid that many of the children who are isolated can form an atmosphere of new friendships, coexistence and above all feel loved and many children could also be instilled since childhood that we must all be treated equally, that nothing and much less A chromosome can make us different. There are some limitations that schools should take into account if they would like to add this type of social inclusion to their educational system since there are several degrees of the mental retard There are cases where this delay is very advanced, which would totally prevent normal development, at the level of a classroom.