World Down Syndrome Day 2023 | What is Down Syndrome: On Tuesday, March 21, there will be a celebration of World Down Syndrome Day. The goal of celebrating World Down Syndrome Day is to forge a unified front that fights for the rights, acceptance, and well-being of the Down syndrome people.  

World Down Syndrome Day History

From 2006 and 2010, the Down Syndrome Association of Singapore created and hosted the International Down Syndrome Day website. Down Syndrome International was represented by this action (DSi).

Eventually, the Brazilian Federation of Down Syndrome Organizations collaborated with DSi and other members to launch a campaign to garner support on a global scale.

After the joint efforts of Poland and Brazil, a resolution was unanimously approved on November 11, 2011, during the Third Committee's plenary session. A global petition started by the DSi that garnered more than 12000 signatures in just two weeks was also delivered to the Third Committee Chair.

World Down Syndrome Day was first observed in 2012, after the UN General Assembly formally declared it to be so on December 19, 2011. The date of March 21 was chosen as International Down Syndrome Day to reflect the rarity of the triplication of the 21st chromosome, which causes Down syndrome.

What is Down Syndrome?

A person with Down syndrome has an extra chromosome, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In the body, chromosomes are "packages" of genes. They control how a baby's body develops during pregnancy and after birth, determining how it will look and work. A newborn typically has 46 chromosomes. One of these chromosomes, chromosome 21, has an extra copy in infants with Down syndrome. Trisomy is the medical word for having an extra copy of a chromosome. Trisomy 21 is another term used to describe Down syndrome. The newborn may experience difficulties with their mental and physical development as a result of this additional copy, which alters how their body and brain grow. 

World Down Syndrome Day Theme 2023

The theme for 2023 World Down Syndrome Day is "With Us Not For Us". 

Physical Features Of Down Syndrome

  • Flattened Face 

  • Upward almond-shaped eyes 

  • Short neck

  • Small ears 

  • Tiny white spots on the iris 

  • Small hands and feet 

  • Poor muscle tone or loose joints

  • Shorter in height than children and adults