Down syndrome is the most frequently occurring chromosomal disorder and the leading cause of intellectual and developmental delay in the U.S. and in the world.

Today the average lifespan of a person with Down syndrome is approximately 60 years. As recently as 1983, the average lifespan of a person with Down syndrome was 25 years. The dramatic increase to 60 years is largely due to the end of the inhumane practice of institutionalizing people with Down syndrome.

In the U.S. many people with Down syndrome complete high school, more are going on to a postsecondary education and a handful have even received graduate degrees. An increasing number of colleges and universities have programs that are specifically designed for differently-abled students.

Source: Global Down Syndrome Foundation

[https://www.globaldownsyndrome.org/about-down-syndrome/facts-about-down-syndrome/](https://www.globaldownsyndrome.org/about-down-syndrome/facts-about-down-syndrome/)