A pharmacist, Mrs Ify Nwosu, has said that people with down syndrome condition may not be able to bear children.

Nwosu, who is the Coordinator of the Down Syndrome Support Initiative, an NGO, made the declaration yesterday in an interview in Abuja.

She, however, advised people to show them love, and urged parents of children with the condition to make every effort to accept it and adjust to the reality.

The coordinator further advised such parents to not see their affected children as a burden, but to ensure that they made their lives useful.

"Most people with down syndrome is very difficult for them to have a child, because of their body make up, however the chances are still there that they may have depending on the type - remember that not all the cell are down syndrome, so depending on the type.

"So, when the child comes, there is a very high percentage that their child will have down syndrome, because there are people who don't have down syndrome who choose not to have a baby.

"So what we are doing right now is to help that person with down syndrome to live a good life."

Nwosu said that no matter how hard a person tried, it would be difficult to prevent down syndrome.

She, however, said that just like heart defect, the condition could be treated.

"Down syndrome is not preventable; it's either you don't get pregnant, is a chance you take, just like in life; are you going to look like your daddy; how would you know?

"Before you come out, the mother doesn't know how the child will look; it's just an error of cell division; there is no cure, however problems that are associated with down syndrome are treatable."

Nwosu also counseled parents to always take their affected children for therapy, adding: "the earlier they take this therapy - some of which will be speech therapy, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and even behavioural therapy - the better for them. "