Brooke's Diagnosis - 31 for 21

I published this last year and decided to highight it again this year during Down Syndrome Awareness month.

Since I'm highlighting Down Syndrome this month, I decided to tell our story. Let's start from the beginning. As most of you know (and if you don't, click here), Brooke and Caden were born extremely premature. At the time, children born at 28 weeks had a 70-75% chance of survival. So, the first couple of weeks of life, we were focused on keeping the duo alive. Brooke came into this world breech, and bright red. She was born at 7:01, just 2 minutes after her brother. We immediately noticed her coloring. We were told that she just has fair skin, and that's how fair skinned babies look when their born. She was doing great, she was put on a ventilator for a day, a C-PAP for a week, and nasal canula for about a month and a half to assist in her breathing. Immediately after she was born Luke noticed some webbing in her toes. We told her neonatologist and she took note. Due to not being fully developed, the doctors just shook it off. I noticed her eyes. We were told she had "preemie eyes" and that everything was ok. I knew well into my pregnancy that something just wasn't "right" with Brooke, but was assured multiple times that she was ok. Again, I knew something wasn't right, and was told she was fine. Two weeks after birth Brooke had a nurse who's brother had Down Syndrome. She took note of Brooke's features and asked for a diagnostic test. They took blood on a Friday, and we waited until Monday for the results. It was confirmed, Brooke did in fact have Down Syndrome. She has the most common form, Trisomy 21. She has 3 21st chromosomes instead of 2. We like to think she has "Designer Genes". Here are some of Brooke's traits:

This was taken at 2 weeks of age, right before blood was taken to test her cells. Her wrist band fit around my thumb.
The nose - a small nose with a flat bridge. Brooke does have a very tiny nose. She has small nasal passages, which make it very difficult for her to breathe. I think her nose looks more like my Nana's, and less than that of someone with DS.

The eyes - people with DS have eyes that slant upward and outward, causing their eyes to look almond shaped. Their eyelids often have epicanthal folds.

The ears - often people with Down Syndrome have low set ears. Notice the relationship of Caden's ears to his eyes and Brooke's.

The tongue -Individuals with Down Syndrome have a smaller, higher arched hard palate which means that the tongue is contained in a smaller than average space. Typically Brooke's tongue protrudes when she is teething or her nose is blocked.

The hands - short, stubby fingers with a pinky finger that curves inward are typical DS traits. So is a simian crease, or a single crease along the palm. This also present in people without DS. Brooke does have the short, stubby fingers and pinky that curves, but does not have a simian crease.

The toes - a large gap in between the big toe and the second toe. I didn't think Brooke had this characteristic. It wasn't until after she was walking, which was back in March, that it showed up. Now, it's there plain as day! You can also see the two webbed toes that started this whole thing. ;) Her second and third toes are connected.