Established Risk Conditions

As described in Module 1 established risk conditions are things that can occur that are known to cause problems in a child’s development. Some examples of these types of conditions are a lack of oxygen at birth, drinking alcohol during pregnancy and others.

Genetic Disorders

Genetic disorders are included in this group of established risks. Children with genetic disorders (see full Glossary) are unique and bring with them individual personalities, temperament, strengths and challenges. Often, children with similar conditions will have similar characteristics. We tend to notice some of these children because of physical characteristics. For example, we recognize in all children with Down Syndrome an upward slant of the eyes. However, a child with this diagnosis (see full Glossary) will have more in common and look more like their own family than another child with Down Syndrome.

This is why it is so important to keep in mind how every child is a combination of more than physical characteristics. When we look at the development of the whole child, we realize that each one of the child’s areas of development (see full Glossary) may be impacted in a different way.

Figure 1. Down Syndrome