Down Syndrome Program

We provide advice and support for families while ensuring every child receives the best care available to grow and develop to his or her full potential.

Our objectives are to:

• Give children with Down syndrome the personalized healthcare they require
• Provide current information on health-related services for children with Down syndrome
• Link families with community services
• Educate the community about the strengths and abilities of individuals with Down syndrome

There are differences in the mental abilities, behavior and physical development of people with Down syndrome. Informed and supportive families, therapists and school and community personnel help children with Down syndrome reach their highest developmental capability.

Our Interdisciplinary Approach to Down Syndrome Care

When your child is seen in our program, he or she will get a coordinated, individualized evaluation. Your child will be seen by a board certified pediatrician who specializes in children with special developmental needs. A nurse practitioner, dietitian, speech therapist, occupational and physical therapists and a social worker are also part of the team and may be consulted if needed following discussion with your doctor. 

Our Neonatology Department collaborates with our Developmental Pediatrics Department to treat newborn babies who have Down syndrome and educate their families. Once babies with Down syndrome have been evaluated in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and any immediate necessary treatments have been provided, the Down Syndrome Program will work with you to coordinate ongoing care.

Older children may also be referred to the Down Syndrome Program. As your child grows, our program grows, too. As part of the Developmental Pediatrics Department, our team is able to adjust the care we provide to your child’s changing needs. Close communication throughout the hospital departments means that specialists are easily accessible in the event that more care is needed.

Our developmental pediatrics doctors help families transition from child care to adult care when the time comes. Conversations about this transition begin early so that the process is as smooth as possible. The goal is to enable patients to move toward independence and to ensure that they have the resources for optimal decision-making. This transition typically happens sometime between the ages of 18 and 25. The Center for Youth and Adults With Conditions of Childhood (CYACC) aids in this transition.