Resources | Adult Down Syndrome Center

Menstrual Hygiene

Author: Katie Frank, PhD, OTR/L and Hannah Graham, MD - Adult Down Syndrome Center

One topic that comes up frequently at the Adult Down Syndrome Center is menstrual hygiene. Women with Down syndrome and their caregivers often ask us about strategies to make periods easier or even to

Adaptive Clothing

Author: Katie Frank, PhD, OTR/L - Occupational Therapist, Adult Down Syndrome Center

Dressing can be difficult for some individuals with Down syndrome, in part because bilateral coordination and dexterity skills can be challenging for many individuals with Down syndrome. I ha

T21RS COVID-19 and Down Syndrome

Author: Trisomy 21 Research Society - COVID-19 Taskforce

The Trisomy 21 Research Society (T21RS) has developed several taskforces in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The taskforces are studying COVID-19 infection and vaccination in people with D

Surgery to Correct Eye Crossing (Strabismus)

Author: Brian Chicoine, MD - "Ask Dr. Chicoine" LuMind IDSC Foundation

We were asked about recurrence of strabismus that had been corrected by surgery in childhood. Strabismus is crossing of the eyes. The eyes of an individual with strabismus are not lined up properly an

DSMIG-USA IDD COVID-19 Vaccination Position Statement

Author: Down Syndrome Medical Interest Group - USA - DSMIG-USA

On December 16, 2020, the Down Syndrome Medical Interest Group - USA issued a position statement on the COVID-19 vaccine. The position statement has been updated several times, most recently on Novemb

Visuals and Videos About the COVID-19 Vaccine

Author: Adult Down Syndrome Center - Resource List

Several organizations have created helpful resources about COVID-19 vaccines. We have provided links to some of them below. VISUALS / PLAIN LANGUAGE RESOURCES Getting the COVID-19 Vaccine &a

Possible Causes of Regression in People with Down Syndrome during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author: Brian Chicoine, MD - Medical Director, Adult Down Syndrome Center

We received a question about a man with Down syndrome in his late 30s. His family shared that he developed catatonia, was hearing people speaking in his head, and lost a significant amount of weight.

Mental Health Causes for Behavior Change During a Pandemic Webinar Recording (3/28/2021)

Author: Brian Chicoine, MD and Katie Frank, PhD, OTR/L - Adult Down Syndrome Center

The video below is a recording of a webinar presented by Brian Chicoine, MD and Katie Frank, PhD, OTR/L on March 28, 2021 as part of the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress 37th Annual Virtual Confer

Bathing and Showering Tips

Author: Natalie Rivera, OTS and Katie Frank, PhD, OTR/L - Occupational therapy student and occupational therapist

Bathing and showering may be difficult for some individuals with Down syndrome for many reasons. Below are a variety of adaptive strategies and equipment to promote safety and independence with this s

Taking Medication for Side Effects from the COVID-19 Vaccine

Author: Brian Chicoine, MD - Medical Director, Adult Down Syndrome Center

As with all vaccines, there is the potential to experience side effects after getting the COVID-19 vaccine. This is true for people with and without Down syndrome. These side effects may include pain

Tips for Washing and Rinsing Hair in the Shower

Author: Adult Down Syndrome Center

Some families have shared with us that washing and rinsing hair can be a challenging task for their loved ones with Down syndrome. We have compiled a list of suggestions from families for mak

Visuals and Videos About Wearing Masks During COVID-19

Author: Adult Down Syndrome Center - Resource List

Several organizations have created helpful resources about wearing masks during COVID-19. We have provided links to some of them below. VISUALS / STORIES / PLAIN LANGUAGE RESOURCES Wearing a

Routines during the Pandemic

Author: Brian Chicoine, MD - Medical Director, Adult Down Syndrome Center

When the COVID-19 pandemic started, my first thoughts of concern for our patients and all people with Down syndrome were around the virus and the potential of becoming severely ill with COVID-19. We h

How to Wash Your Hands Visual

Author: Adult Down Syndrome Center

This visual handout corresponds to our video on how to wash your hands. It shows the steps for handwashing.

How to Wash Your Hands Video

Author: Adult Down Syndrome Center - Video

In this video below, Jeff demonstrates how we should wash our hands. As Jeff explains, handwashing is an important thing we can do to keep ourselves healthy! A corresponding visual handout can be foun

Hospital Visitor Policies During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author: Adult Down Syndrome Center - Resource List

UPDATED JUNE 2020 : On June 9, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that it had reached a resolution on the first federal com

Helping an Individual with Down Syndrome Tolerate COVID-19 Testing

Author: Adult Down Syndrome Center - Resource List

*Please note: this article discusses viral testing used to diagnose if an individual currently has COVID-19. This article does not discuss antibody testing used to determine if an individual was expos

Non-Discrimination in Medical Treatment for COVID-19

Author: Adult Down Syndrome Center - Resource List

Reports of potential discrimination in medical treatment for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities have caused fear, anxiety, and anger within the Down syndrome community. Depar

Lotion Options

Author: Adult Down Syndrome Center

Some people do not like the feeling of lotion or creams. This handout shows examples of lotions that can be used on wet skin and lotions that can be sprayed on skin.