Down Right Perfect!
Meet Gianna Melina, she is 2 years old and has Translocation Down Syndrome. Translocation accounts for about 4% of cases of Down syndrome. Part of chromosome 21 breaks down during cell division and attaches to another chromosome. While the total number of chromosomes are still 46, the presence of an extra part of chromosome 21 leads to the characteristics of Down syndrome.
Gianna was also born with a condition known as Duodenal Atresia which occurs when there is blockage within the first part of the small bowel, she had surgery at just one day old to repair it. She also has a small heart murmur that is thankfully closing up on its own. Despite her medical diagnosis, Gianna is your typical 2 year old. She's very active, she's running, dancing, saying her first few simple words, and of course she's very social and loves making new friends. She's just perfect!
