@article {330047,
	title = {The child who lived: Down syndrome among Neanderthals?},
	journal = {Science Advances},
	volume = {10},
	year = {2024},
	note = {<p>doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adn9310</p>
},
	pages = {eadn9310},
	abstract = {<p>Caregiving for disabled individuals among Neanderthals has been known for a long time, and there is a debate about the implications of this behavior. Some authors believe that caregiving took place between individuals able to reciprocate the favor, while others argue that caregiving was produced by a feeling of compassion related to other highly adaptive prosocial behaviors. The study of children with severe pathologies is particularly interesting, as children have a very limited possibility to reciprocate the assistance. We present the case of a Neanderthal child who suffered from a congenital pathology of the inner ear, probably debilitating, and associated with Down syndrome. This child would have required care for at least 6 years, likely necessitating other group members to assist the mother in childcare A Neanderthal child with a debilitating pathology required social care to survive for at least 6 years.Caregiving for disabled individuals among Neanderthals has been known for a long time, and there is a debate about the implications of this behavior. Some authors believe that caregiving took place between individuals able to reciprocate the favor, while others argue that caregiving was produced by a feeling of compassion related to other highly adaptive prosocial behaviors. The study of children with severe pathologies is particularly interesting, as children have a very limited possibility to reciprocate the assistance. We present the case of a Neanderthal child who suffered from a congenital pathology of the inner ear, probably debilitating, and associated with Down syndrome. This child would have required care for at least 6 years, likely necessitating other group members to assist the mother in childcare A Neanderthal child with a debilitating pathology required social care to survive for at least 6 years.</p>
},
	doi = {https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adn9310},
	url = {https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adn9310},
	author = {Conde-Valverde, Mercedes and Quir{\'o}s-S{\'a}nchez, Amara and Diez-Valero, Julia and Mata-Castro, Nieves and Garc{\'\i}a-Fern{\'a}ndez, Alfredo and Quam, Rolf and Carretero, Jose Miguel and Garc{\'\i}a-Gonz{\'a}lez, Rebeca and Rodr{\'\i}guez, Laura and S{\'a}nchez-Andr{\'e}s, {\'A}ngeles and Arsuaga, Juan Luis and Mart{\'\i}nez, Ignacio and Villaverde, Valent{\'\i}n}
}
