FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
State Rep. Dom Costa D-Allegheny www.pahouse.com/DCosta

Costa resolution brings attention to Down syndrome

HARRISBURG, March 25 – State Rep. Dom Costa's resolution recognizing March 21, 2010, as "World Down Syndrome Day" in Pennsylvania was unanimously adopted by the House this week.

Costa said the purpose of H.R. 712 is to celebrate the contributions people with Down syndrome are making in their communities, and to bring attention to the need for more research.

"Thanks to advances in medical research and the development of effective therapies, people with Down syndrome are able to attend school, including higher education, and are working at various companies where they are being recognized, not for their disability, but for their ability to hold their own alongside their co-workers," said Costa, D-Allegheny. "These advances may never have been made without public attention being brought to Down syndrome."

Down syndrome is a genetic disorder that occurs approximately every 1 in almost 800 births; there are more than 400,000 people with Down syndrome living in the United States.

People with Down syndrome are at a higher risk for various conditions such as congenital heart defects, respiratory problems and thyroid issues.

For more information, including resources for parents and those with Down syndrome, visit the Down Syndrome Association of Pittsburgh's Web site at www.dsapgh.org.