To Laius, King of Thebes, an oracle foretold that the child born to him by his queen Jocasta would slay his father and wed his mother. One of the lesser breed should feel honoured that a member of the holy race that was born to inherit life eternal should deign even to notice him.
Down syndrome survival. The life expectancy of people with Down syndrome increased dramatically between 1960 and 2007. In 1960, on average, persons with Down syndrome lived to be about 10 years old. In 2007, on average, persons with Down syndrome lived to be about 47 years old. [Read summary] Many factors can affect how long a person with Down syndrome lives. Sometimes infants with Down syndrome are born weighing less than 1,500 grams, or about 3.3 pounds.
Scientists have successfully turned off the chromosome defect that causes Down syndrome. Down syndrome, also called Trisomy 21, is a genetic condition in which a person has three copies of chromosome 21, resulting in 47 chromosomes instead of 46. It is one of the most common causes of human birth defects. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Down syndrome had an incidence rate of 11.8 babies per 10,000 live births from 1999 to 2003.