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'''Down syndrome''' (also written as '''Down's syndrome''') is a genetic disorder caused by an extra copy of [[chromosome]] 21. The greatest risk factor for having a child with Down syndrome is increased maternal (and, to a lesser extent, paternal) age.  

'''Down syndrome''' (also written as '''Down's syndrome''', technical name '''Trisomy 21'''<ref>http://www.ds-health.com/trisomy.htm</ref>) is a genetic disorder caused by an extra copy of [[chromosome]] 21. The greatest risk factor for having a child with Down syndrome is increased maternal (and, to a lesser extent, paternal) age.  

The name comes from [[British]] [[physician]] [[John Langdom Down]], who described the syndrome in [[1862]]. Down named the condition '''mongolism''' because the external appearance of its sufferers resembled that of the [[Mongolian]] race (one of the five racial classifications commonly used at the time). Currently, the terms "mongolism" and "mongoloid" are considered offensive.

The name comes from [[British]] [[physician]] [[John Langdom Down]], who described the syndrome in [[1862]]. Down named the condition '''mongolism''' because the external appearance of its sufferers resembled that of the [[Mongolian]] race (one of the five racial classifications commonly used at the time). Currently, the terms "mongolism" and "mongoloid" are considered offensive.