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

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Duration: 13 ms, Number of Results: 30

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Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Author: Allison Schnitzler, MD and Brian Chicoine, MD - Family Medicine, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital

Key Points Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is also known as heartburn or reflux. GERD is common in people with Down syndrome (DS). There are a variety of things that can be done at home to redu

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Celiac Disease

Author: Robert Campbell, DO and Brian Chicoine, MD - Family Medicine, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital

Key Points Celiac disease is caused by a sensitivity to gluten. It is more common in people with Down syndrome. It can be diagnosed through an assessment including a history, physical, blood work, and

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Co-Occurring Conditions in Children with Down Syndrome and Autism: A Retrospective Study

Author: Spinazzi et al. - Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (2023)

Abstract Background:  Down syndrome (DS) is one of the most common genetic causes of intellectual disability, and it is associated with an increased incidence of numerous co-occurring conditi

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Cardiovascular Complications of Down Syndrome: Scoping Review and Expert Consensus

Author: Dimopoulos et al. - Circulation (2023)

Abstract Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in individuals with Down syndrome. Congenital heart disease is the most common cardiovascular condition in this group, pre

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Acrocyanosis

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

What is acrocyanosis? Acrocyanosis is the bluish discoloration of the extremities (usually the hands and/or feet) due to decreased oxygen being delivered to those areas. The small blood vessels in the

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Constipation in Down Syndrome

Author: Samantha Ghanayem-Bouikidis, MD and Brian Chicoine, MD - Family Medicine, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital

Constipation is a common problem in people with Down syndrome as well as the general population. Studies show that chronic constipation affects between 2 and 27% of the general population. It is thoug

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Urinary Retention

Author: Agni Vlahos, MD and Brian Chicoine, MD - Family Medicine

The bladder is an organ composed of layers of smooth muscle that sits in the pelvis. The function of the bladder is to collect urine that is made in the kidneys. When the bladder reaches its 

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Irritable Bowel Syndrome

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

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a health issue in the intestines (bowels). It is not clear how common it is in people with Down syndrome (DS).  However, we suspect that IBS is more common i

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Down Syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorder (DS-ASD)

Author: Autism Speaks and DSMIG-USA DS-ASD Workgroup - Website

It is estimated that about 16-18% of people with Down syndrome also have autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The Down Syndrome Medical Interest Group-USA DS-ASD Workgroup collaborated with Autism Speaks t

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Low Heart Rate and Blood Pressure

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

Blood pressure and heart rates/pulses that are on the lower end of normal or even a little lower than normal are common findings in people with Down syndrome (see this article on hypertension

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My ECG/EKG

Author: Adult Down Syndrome Center

This visual explains what happens when you get an ECG or EKG.

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Testicular Cancer

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

While many solid tumor cancers are  less  common in people with Down syndrome compared to people without Down syndrome, testicular cancer is one type of solid tumor cancer that is&am

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When Veins Don't Work

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

What is the vascular system? Our vascular system includes blood vessels (including veins, arteries, and smaller blood vessels) as well as the heart. Arteries carry blood away from the heart towards th

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Swallowing Problems (Dysphagia)

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

Swallowing problems (dysphagia) are common in people with Down syndrome (DS). In our large cohort study that reviewed health data from people cared for within Advocate Health, swallowing problems were

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Kidney Function in People with Down Syndrome

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

We frequently see that the lab values of kidney function of people with Down syndrome (DS) we evaluate at our Center are mildly abnormal. The kidney function is slightly decreased compared to what is

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Use of Probiotics by People with Down Syndrome

Author: Adult Down Syndrome Center - Resource

What are probiotics? Probiotics are foods or supplements that contain live microorganisms (e.g., bacteria). Foods with labels that say "live and active cultures" contain probiotics.

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Co-Occurring Down Syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorder (DS-ASD)

Author: Down Syndrome-Autism Connection - Website

  Learn about co-occurring Down syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorder (DS-ASD) on the page linked here . The information is provided by the Down Syndrome-Autism Connection, an organization wh

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Heart Disease in Adults with Down Syndrome Between 1996 and 2016

Author: Fitzpatrick et al. - Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine (2020)

Abstract Purpose:  To describe demographic factors and calculate prevalence of heart disease-related conditions among the adult Down syndrome (DS) sample population and to compare demographic

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Liver Fibrosis

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

Fibrosis of the liver can be thought of as a "scar" in the liver that results from chronic liver injury. It is similar to scarring that may form on the skin or in the lung or other o

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Treating Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease with Surgery

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

We were asked about surgical options for treating gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD occurs when stomach contents, including acid, go "backwards" from the stomach up into t

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Vasovagal Syncope (Fainting)

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

What is vasovagal syncope?  Vasovagal syncope is what we commonly think of as fainting in response to emotional upset or pain. Chen-Scarabelli and Scarabelli (2004) define it as “a

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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

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Use of Aspirin to Prevent Heart Attacks

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

We were sent a question about the use of aspirin to prevent heart attacks in people with Down syndrome. We have provided some information below. Please note that this information is for educational pu

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Lactose Intolerance

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

People with Down syndrome can experience a variety of gastrointestinal issues. One of them is intolerance to foods containing lactose. Lactose is a sugar found in dairy products like milk and ice crea

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Please note: The information on this site is for educational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for a medical, psychiatric, mental health, or behavioral evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment plan by a qualified professional. We recommend you review the educational material with your health providers regarding the specifics of your health care needs.

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