>Speaking as a physical anthropologist, and mother of a child with Trisomy
21 (Down Syndrome) -- normally Trisomy 8 children do not even survive to be
born.  Even most fetuses with Trisomy 21, an extra copy of the SMALLEST
chromosome, don't survive to be born, and some who do don't live very long.
The only other trisomies that are usually found at birth are Trisomy 15 and
18 and those kids usually have multiple organ defects and only live for a
few months.  That said, there is one case of a living child with Trisomy 10,
here in Bryan, Texas.  She is the only known person with this condition.
She is an FLK -- funny-looking kid, a highly technical medical term :) and
is mildly mentally retarded and little, but is doing well considering she
isn't supposed to be alive!  I have also heard of a child with MOSAIC
Trisomy 9.  The term "mosaic" means the incorrect separation of the
chromosomes happened after fertilization at the second or third cell
division, so that some of the cell lines are normal and some have an extra
chromosome.  There are quite a few mosaic Down Syndrome people around.
People with mosaic trisomies usually have milder cases.  It is possible that
this child has Mosaic Trisomy 8, or that it is an incredibly rare exception
to the general rule that trisomies of the larger chromosomes (those with
lower numbers, 1-20) are usually not compatible with life.

Keep us informed!
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Katherine A. Dettwyler                                email:
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Anthropology Department                               phone: (409) 845-5256
Texas A&M University                                    fax: (409) 845-4070
College Station, TX  77843-4352