March 21 is World Down Syndrome Day, the symbol is different socks
World Down Syndrome Day falls on 21 March. People wear different socks on this day. It is a symbolic support for people with Down syndrome, with the message that being different is normal and okay. The socks, when put together with their heels, resemble the letter X, or the X chromosome. The date March 21 is also not chosen at random. It is a symbolic representation of the fact that children with Down syndrome are born with one extra chromosome, or three. By putting on a different sock each March 21, we symbolically join the idea that although people are different and everyone is different, we should still help, respect and support each other.
DS is a genetic disorder, a congenital chromosomal abnormality. Very simply put, an extra chromosome appears in the genes. Why this happens is still shrouded in mystery. So far, no medical studies have been able to provide a clear answer. But the truth is that as the mother ages, her child's risk of Down syndrome increases.
Children with Down syndrome are born with specific facial features. Round head shape, slanted eyes, tiny nose and short neck. Shorter than normal fingers are common. Intellectually, people affected by Down syndrome have an IQ of around 50, which means that intellectual development stops at the level of an eight to 10-year-old child. But these are just statistical numbers and it can be quite different. It is not uncommon for people with DS to achieve secondary and higher education.
On average, 50 children are born with this disability each year in the Czech Republic.