baby is sitting or standing up. Another type of seizure seen is the generalized "tonic-clonic" seizure (also called "grand mal"); this type of seizure involves the whole body, with stiffening of the trunk and jerking of the extremities, followed by a period of sleepiness. Other types of seizures have been described, including atonic (head-drop) seizures and reflex (myoclonic, "startle") seizures. When the second peak occurs is more debatable, with some researchers putting it at 15-25 years, and others putting it in the third decade of life. The most common seizure in this age range is the tonic-clonic seizure, but other types are also seen. Other associated abnormalities include pulmonary hypertension, upper airway obstruction, obstructive sleep apnea, and an increased incidence of thyroid dysfunction, diabetes mellitus, cataracts, and leukemia. Electroencephalography has not been shown to have any conclusive diagnostic value for Down syndrome, aside from the diagnosis of associated conditions such as seizure disorders and to some degree Alzheimer's. However according to Ellingson et al (1970) EEG abnormalities occur in twenty to thirty percent of Down's patients and are more common in childhood than in adulthood. Gibbs and Gibbs (1964) described bilateral "spike-like" activity over parietal areas in sleep records of DS children and also noted widespread monorhythmic 4/sec waves (chiefly frontal and parietal in the waking state. Prominent occipital high voltage 1-2/sec waves with a sharp component in the terminal phase were also reported (Gibbs and Gibbs, 1964). There are no correlations between EEG abnormalities and special clinical features.(Neidermeyer 373-374)Currently there is no specific treatment for Down Syndrome, and therapy is focused on treating the associated conditions as well as early intervention for educational needs. Research on Down syndrome is making great strides in identifying the genes on chromosome 21 that caus...
