Therapies and Rehabilitation in Down Syndrome.

The book is about therapy and rehabilitation, i.e., about changing for the
better a pathological state of affairs: in this particular case the biological,
medical, psychological, and social lifespan consequences of a condition known
as Down Syndrome (DS) that is caused in most cases by a triplication of
chromosome 21, called ‘trisomy 21’. This pathological condition, documented
for the fi rst time in the nineteenth century by the observations of the Frenchman
Seguin and later the Englishman Down, is the most prevalent cause (incidence
roughly 1 case in 1300 live births) of moderate mental retardation (IQ around
50 in modal value). It affects males and females in equal proportions, determining important developmental delays and defi cits. Life expectancy is
approximately 60 years, though this has increased markedly in recent decades
thanks to progress made in medicine and biology, a better social acceptance,
and psychological care and stimulation (Rondal et al. 2004), and is still expected
to continue to improve in the future. This has already prompted research on
the disease in the adult years, and is now motivating interest in the scientifi c
community in the disease’s course during the advanced years in those affected,
who can now be expected to remain a part of our societies for far longer than
was earlier the case (life expectancy in the fi rst half of the twentieth century
was only a dozen years).
The chapters taken together supply a ‘state of the art’ accessible alike to
the professional and to the educated lay person on the subject of the central
issues concerning the syndrome and the major strategies and perspectives for
genetic, pharmacological, and medical therapies and treatments, as well as
cognitive, linguistic, educational and inclusive employment rehabilitation
strategies and possibilities for people with DS from early infancy right through
into the years of ageing and senility