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For people with Down syndrome, family members, caregivers and professionals.

Duration: 35 ms, Number of Results: 24

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Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism

Author: Ima V. Jonkheer, DO and Brian Chicoine, MD - Family Medicine, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital

Key Points  The thyroid gland is part of the endocrine system. It is a gland that is in the neck. Thyroid function affects or has an impact on many body functions and, therefore, abnormal thy

Connective Tissue and Down Syndrome

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

Key Points Connective tissue is the tissue that helps hold our bodies together. Connective tissue is different in people with Down syndrome compared to others.  People with Down syndrome have

Pneumonia in People with Down Syndrome

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

Key Points Lungs are vital organs in the movement of oxygen into the body and the removal of carbon dioxide. Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs. Pneumonia is more common in people with Down syndro

Prostate Cancer Screening in Men with Down Syndrome

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

Key Points on Prostate Cancer Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in men. There is uncertainty about the potential benefits and risks of prostate cancer screening for men.&nb

Breast Cancer and Breast Cancer Screening for Women with Down Syndrome

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

Key Points Breast cancer is less common in women with Down syndrome compared to women without Down syndrome. Currently, the recommendations for breast cancer screening are the same for women with and

Dysgerminomas in Women with Down Syndrome

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

Key Points A dysgerminoma is a type of cancer that usually occurs in a woman's ovary. There is limited research on dysgerminomas in women with Down syndrome. It is not clear if dysgerminomas a

Overpronation

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

What is overpronation of the ankle? In short, when we walk, typically the outside of our heel strikes the ground first and then the rest of our foot rolls to come in contact with the ground. Then our

Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Sugar)

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

What is hypoglycemia? Hypoglycemia is the medical term for low blood sugar or low glucose. Blood sugar or glucose levels can be measured with a blood test. Healthcare providers make the diagnosis of h

Development of Atlantoaxial Instability in an Older Person with Down Syndrome

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

The parent of a 47-year-old man with Down syndrome submitted the following question: Can a person with Down syndrome develop atlantoaxial instability in adulthood? My son is 47. When he was younger, X

Trampolines

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

We periodically get asked about the use of trampolines by people with Down syndrome. Trampolines cause many injuries to both children and adults. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

Bunions in People with Down Syndrome

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

A bunion (also known as hallux valgus) is a bony projection or bump that forms at the base of the big toe. If the joint at the base of the big toe is subjected to great pressure while walking, the big

Testicular Cancer

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

Key Points Testicular cancer is more common in men with Down syndrome compared to men without Down syndrome. Health care providers can check for testicular cancer during an annual physical exam. Testi

Gout in People with Down Syndrome

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

Gout is more common in people with Down syndrome (DS) (as indicated by the studies at this link  and this link ). Gout is a type of inflammatory arthritis caused by

Does TSH tell the whole story?

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

Thyroid conditions such as hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) and hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) are more common in people with Down syndrome. Current guidelines for adults with Down syndrome

Flat Feet in People with Down Syndrome

Author: Lorri Riley, DPM - j1 insoles

The website at the link below discusses flat feet and Down syndrome. The website also contains information about j1 insoles, a line of medical grade insoles for adults and children that are less expen

Colon Cancer Screening for People with Down Syndrome

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

Is colon cancer screening recommended for people with Down syndrome? Please note that this handout discusses screening colonoscopies (i.e. colonoscopies performed to identify pre-symptomatic or unreco

Ligamentous Laxity

Author: Peter Waller, DO - Family Medicine Resident, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital

Ligaments are bands of fibrous connective tissue in our body that connect one bone to another bone and provide support to our joints. In people with Down syndrome, these ligaments tend to be loose lea

Atlantoaxial Instability Screening

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

Atlantoaxial instability (AAI) is subluxation or slippage of the first neck vertebrae in relation to the second. It is more common in people with Down syndrome (DS) and there are unique screening cons

Diabetes in Adults with Down Syndrome

Author: Chuan-Li Fan, DO - Family Medicine Resident, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a disease marked by the inability of the body to regulate sugars through insulin. Either the body does not produce enough insulin in the pancreas to help the body absorb suga

Mammograms

Author: Sravanthi Paritala, MD - Family Medicine Resident, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital

What is a mammogram? A mammogram is a special type of x-ray that looks for breast cancer, which is the most common cancer among women. The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recomme

Thyroid, Weight, and Metabolism

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

We were sent a question about thyroid, weight, and metabolism in people with Down syndrome. People with Down syndrome more commonly have hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), one symptom of which is w

Ask the Doctor: Thyroid Testing

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

Question: Recently, my daughter’s annual thyroid blood work came back as follows: TSH 9.74 (normal: 0.3-5.0), T3 27.8 (normal: 25.0-35.0), Free T4 1.7 (normal: 1.0-4.3), and T4 6.2 (normal:

Knee Pain from Patellofemoral Syndrome

Author: Julia Howell, MD - Family Medicine Resident, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital

People with Down syndrome can often have laxity, or looseness, of the ligaments that support joints. The knee is no exception. The patella, or knee cap, attaches to the muscles of the upper and lower

Hypothyroidism Presenting as Severe Psychological and Mental Dysfunction

Author: Chicoine

This is an article written by Brian Chicoine in Success Stories in Developmental Disabilities. Vol II. edited by Dale Antanitus and published in 1993.

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