https://www.science.org/doi/epdf/10.1126/sciadv.adn9310
The child who lived: Down syndrome among Neanderthals?
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 toother highly
adaptive prosocial behaviors. The study of
children with severe pathologies is
particularly interest-ing, 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.
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