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Are Autism and Down Syndrome the Same?

A lot more is known about autism today than even 10 years ago, but there’s still a lot of confusion about the developmental disorder. Some people may not fully understand what causes autism spectrum disorder, what the common signs and symptoms are, and how it resembles and differs from other developmental disorders such as Down syndrome.

While some of the characteristics of autism and Down syndrome can be overlapping, and they can even occur in the same individual, they are also very different from each other — and have very different causes.

Below, we will discuss how autism and Down syndrome are distinctly different from each other.

Table Of Contents

Root Causes

Autism and Down syndrome are much different from a fundamental level, i.e., what causes them.

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder. It appears most often during the early childhood stages, and can be identified through various clues and by measuring a child’s development against standard milestones.

Down syndrome, by contrast, is a chromosomal condition. It appears during the early stages of fetal development, as the cells are dividing.

It occurs when cells divide abnormally, creating a third copy of the 21st chromosome. When this happens, physical and neurological abnormalities occur.

Unlike autism, Down syndrome can be detected through a blood test that’s performed on a pregnant mother, which will show the estimated risk that the unborn baby will have the condition. It can then be confirmed after birth through blood tests and physical examinations of the baby.

Autism Signs and Symptoms

In most cases, children who have autism look “normal.” In other words, their physical characteristics aren’t affected by their developmental condition.

Where the differences can be noticed is through their typical developments and behaviors, which typically lag behind their peers.

Some of the common signs and symptoms of autism include avoiding eye contact, not responding to their name by the time they’re 9 months old, lacking facial expressions, using no or few hand gestures by 1 year old, and facing other challenges associated with socializing, communicating and completing daily life skills.

Down Syndrome Characteristics

In addition to developmental challenges, the physical features of people who have Down syndrome are affected by their condition.

Some of the common physical characteristics include flattened features in the face, small ears, eyes that slant upwards and are shaped like an almond, smaller feet and hands, loose joints and/or poor tone in muscles, shorter than their peers and a shortened neck.

These physical abnormalities are caused by the fact that Down syndrome is a genetic disorder. In addition, people who have Down syndrome can suffer from learning disabilities, developmental delays and intellectual disabilities, though there are varying degrees of severity.

They may also suffer from heart and gastrointestinal conditions in their life.

How They’re Similar

There are some similarities between Down syndrome and autism. One common one is how they impact communication.

Those who have autism or Down syndrome both are likely to face challenges when it comes to communicating. They may have trouble establishing and keeping eye contact, especially during a conversation with one other individual, and they may face trouble having reciprocal conversations.

Some similarities exist in behaviors as well. Each condition can lead to people having restricted interests, feeling anxious if they don’t adhere to a rather strict routine, engaging in repetitive play, experiencing sensory sensitivities and more.

How They’re Different

There are also many differences between Down syndrome and autism.

People who have Down syndrome, for instance, might struggle with appropriate communication, but they tend to enjoy socializing and are friendly. Some people who have ASD might not like to socialize at all.

Part of this might be due to the fact that those with Down syndrome usually develop their language skills like neurotypical children do. By comparison, children with autism often experience delays in developing these communication skills.

Children on the autism spectrum might disregard their peers and prefer to play parallel to, rather than with, them. Children with Down syndrome typically enjoy playing with peers and even try to copy them.

Blue Gems ABA Diagnoses and Treats Children with Autism

Even though autism and Down syndrome have some similarities, there are a lot of differences that make them distinct and unique disorders. As such, they are diagnosed and treated in much different ways.

At Blue Gems ABA, we have a team of experienced and licensed therapists who specialize in administering applied behavioral analysis, or ABA therapy, a proven science-based treatment that helps children with autism build the communication, social and daily life skills they often face challenges with.

To learn more, please contact us today.