Last Updated on March 27, 2023 by Shabnam Sengupta
The term ‘Mongoloids’ was in use in the ancient times with reference to a racial grouping of people indigenous to large parts of Asia, the Americas, and some regions in Europe and Oceania. The term is no longer used as it creates racial discrimination and is a now-disproven biological race theory. In this article, we will explain the reason behind the reference of down syndrome patients as ‘Mongoloids’. We will also discuss whether they are still called the same.
Why were down syndrome patients referred to Mongoloids?
There were mentions of the term ‘Mongoloids’ in a journal published in 1908 by W. Bertram Hill bearing the name ‘Mongolism and its Pathology’. An English psychiatrist and geneticist, Lionel Penrose, also used the term as late as 1961.
Resources state that John Langdon Down first described the syndrome that now bears his name as a distinguishable form of mental disability in 1862 and in a more widely published report in 1866. Due to his perception that children with down syndrome share facial similarities with the perceived mongoloids German physician Johann Friedrich Blumenbach described as the ‘Mongolian race’, Down used the term ‘mongoloid’ in his characterisation of those with down syndrome.
F.G. Crookshank authored a book in 1924 titled ‘The Mongol in our Midst’, which proposed that the inherited genetic traits from Mongoloid races was the cause of the syndrome. In 1977, the rock band Devo released a song called ‘Mongoloid’ that portrayed a man with down syndrome.
Are down syndrome patients currently refered to Mongoloids?
No. Terms like ‘mongoloids’ are not in use anymore and shall not be used. This is to create an inclusive environment. In 1961, a group of genetic experts penned a joint letter to the medical journal The Lancet. In this letter, they expressed concern about the term ‘Mongoloids’, as it created misleading associations. They noted that there was no link of the anomaly and the segregation of genes derived from Asians among Europeans and their descendants. Also, the use of the term “Mongol Mongoloid” was ambiguous. With increasing Chinese and Japanese involvement in the investigation of the condition, they felt the term was embarrassing and inappropriate.
In 1965, WHO resolved to abandon the term ‘Mongoloid’ at the request of the Mongolian People’s Republic. There was decades of inaction to change the term and resistance to abandon it. However, the term began to fade from use after the resolution. The terms down syndrome, down’s syndrome, and trisomy 21 disorder took its place.
Disclaimer: Medical Science is an ever evolving field. We strive to keep this page updated. In case you notice any discrepancy in the content, please inform us at [email protected]. You can futher read our Correction Policy here. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment because of something you have read on or accessed through this website or it's social media channels. Read our Full Disclaimer Here for further information.