Which of the following is a genetic condition that impacts a child's cognitive development?

• A. Cystic fibrosis
• B. Down syndrome
• C. Autism
• D. Sickle cell disease

Answer: (B)

Understanding how a genetic condition can affect cognitive development. Down syndrome occurs when there is an extra copy of chromosome 21, and this additional genetic material commonly leads to intellectual disability and slower cognitive development from early life. That direct link between a genetic change and changes in learning and thinking makes it the clearest example among the options. The other conditions are genetic as well, but they don’t define cognitive development in the same straightforward way: cystic fibrosis and sickle cell disease mainly affect other body systems, while autism involves genetic influences but presents as a neurodevelopmental profile with a broad range of cognitive and language differences rather than a uniform pattern of cognitive development.