also known as Trisomy 18 (T18) or

Trisomy E
a genetic disorder caused by the
presence of all or part of an extra 18th
chromosome
"Edward's syndrome affects more girls
than boys - around 80 percent of those
affected are female.
majority of people with the syndrome die
during the fetal stage; infants who survive
experience serious defects and
commonly live for short periods of time
the second most common trisomy in
human
originated from John Hilton Edwards, a
British medical geneticist who
discovered the extra chromosome in
1960.
Women older than the age of thirty have
a greater risk of bearing a child with the
syndrome, although it may also occur
with women younger than thirty.
It is difficult to predict the life
expectancy of a baby with trisomy 18 if
the baby does not have any
immediate life-threatening problems. For
babies that have survived their first 30
days of life, 36% were alive at one year.
About 10% of children born with trisomy
18 survive until 10 years of age
extra material from chromosome
eighteen, obtained after the egg is
fertilized
inherit three (referred to as a,
'trisomy'), instead of two, copies of
chromosome eighteen
caused by an error in cell division,
known as meiotic nondisjunction
Ninety-five percent : full-
trisomies
Two-percent : due to trans-
locations where only a portion of
an extra chromosome is present
Three-percent : 'mosaic
trisomies,' where the extra
chromosome is there, but not in
every one of the child's cells.
Clenched hands with overlapping fingers. The
fifth finger lies on top of the fourth finger while
the third finger is overlapped by the index
finger.
Malformations of the kidneys+
Anomalies in the brain and nervous system
Defects in the structure of the heart
The intestines may jut outside the body
Intellectual deficits including mental
retardation.
Delays in development and growth
Respiratory problems like breathing
difficulties
A disorder of the muscle that leads to
several joint contractures.
A small head with a prominent rear end.
Malformed and low-set ears
An unusually small jaw.
An overturned nose, cleft palate or cleft
lip
Wide- set eyes, eyelid folds that are
narrow and upper eyelid drooping
The breast bone is shorter than normal
Underdeveloped nails and or thumbs
Men have clubbed feet or feet with a
round bottom
Undescended testicles
Children may have a small pelvis, less
weight and discomfort in the bowels.
Feeding problems
There is no cure for Edwards' syndrome
Abnormalities can be treated to a certain
degree with surgery, but extreme
invasive procedures may not be in the
best interests of an infant whose lifespan
is measured in days or weeks.
Medical therapy often consists of
supportive care with the goal of making
the infant comfortable, rather than
prolonging life.
Approximately five to ten-percent of
children with Edward's syndrome survive
beyond their first year of life, requiring
treatments that are appropriate for the
various and chronic effects that are
associated with the syndrome
have an increased risk for the development
of a, 'Wilms' tumor,' a form of kidney
cancer that affects children for the most
part
It is recommended that children with
Edward's syndrome have a routine
ultrasound of their abdomen.
The usual aim of treatment is increasing the
durability of the life
Children with this syndrome might require
treatment for:
Seizures
Club foot
Facial clefts
Spina bifida
Pneumonias
Ear infections
Eye infections
 Hydrocephalus
Sinus infections
Apnea episodes
Urinary tract infections
Elevated blood pressure
Pulmonary hypertension
Congenital heart disease
The awareness ribbon color for Trisomy
18 (Edward's Syndrome) is Purple. The
month of March is Trisomy Awareness
Month, and National Trisomy 18 Awareness
Day is on the 18th of March. The day was
chosen as 3 - 18 represents the genetic
cause of Trisomy 18, a third copy of the
18th Chromosome.
 Zayln is our miracle. He was born with Edwards
Syndrome, also known as Trisomy 18. This is the
most common Trisomy Syndrome after Down
Syndrome (Trisomy 21).