It is customary to assume that people with Down syndrome have some common characteristics that differentiate them from others. Himself when he described John Langdon Down in 1866 for the first time the characteristics of the syndrome, observed his ease with humor and mime imitative "and defined" with musical abilities and obstinate, "attributes that have been uploaded to all areas that bloom about Down Syndrome.

His physical appearance also asked to place them in a homogeneous group. However, as noted above, the variability between these people is so great and even greater than that in the general population (Pueschel, 2002). For example, the margins in that temporary capacity or to acquire certain development milestones such as speech or motion, are larger.

Presuppose some exclusive features for people with Down's syndrome carries with it two dangers that may accompany the topical applied to any human group. On the one hand, the immediate effect of labeling or generalization, we will assume that any subject by the mere fact of having Down syndrome and will have these attributes, by setting a bias difficult to overcome later. Secondly, the creation of expectations about the future possibilities of such a person, usually by limiting their options. There is evidence that expectations are set on its development will largely determine the degree of development to be achieved in reality.

However, it seems that there are some common elements in their way of being and acting (Chapman, 2000; Troncoso, 1999; Arranz, 2002), which allows to describe some characteristics, divided into blocks by psychological functions. The main goal of this description is better known these men and women, to give them the support they may need and to meet their needs. However, it should emphasize that these characteristics are not always or in all people with Down syndrome, but may appear between the subjects of this population in different proportions.
Taken from:  http://wwww.down21.org/