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

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Duration: 7 ms, Number of Results: 25

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Measles and Down Syndrome

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

Key Points Measles is a highly contagious infection. It can have very serious complications. There has been a recent increase in measles infections.  Little is known about measles infection s

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Elevated Red Blood Cell Count (Polycythemia)

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

Key Points Red blood cells carry oxygen and carbon dioxide in the bloodstream.  An elevated red blood cell count (polycythemia) occurs when there is an excess of red blood cells in the bloods

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Iron Deficiency and Down Syndrome

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

Key Points Iron deficiency occurs when a person does not have enough iron in their body. Iron deficiency anemia is the low red blood cell count that results from that deficiency. A complete blood coun

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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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Keratoconus in People with Down Syndrome

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

We received a question about treatment of keratoconus in people with Down syndrome.  What is keratoconus? Keratoconus is an eye condition in which the cornea (the clear part in the front of t

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Blood Counts in Children with Down Syndrome

Author: Harvey et al. - Pediatric Blood & Cancer (2022)

Abstract Background:  Children with Down syndrome (DS) are more likely to have hematologic and immunologic abnormalities compared to their typically developing peers, but normal ranges have n

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Constipation in Down Syndrome

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

Video Watch a video clip about constipation  from our webinar At-Home Treatments for Common Health Conditions.   Constipation is a common problem in people with Down syndrom

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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 EyeWiki

Author: American Academy of Ophthalmology - Eye Encyclopedia

EyeWiki is an Eye Encyclopedia developed by the American Academy of Ophthalmology with content contributed by ophthalmologists (eye physicians and surgeons). There is a Down syndrome page wit

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Prevalence of Infectious Diseases Among 6078 Individuals with Down Syndrome in the United States

Author: Fitzpatrick et al. - Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Abstract A recent disease prevalence study of the largest documented Down syndrome (DS) cohort in the United States strongly suggested significant disparity in general infectious disease conditions am

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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

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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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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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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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Vision in Adults with Down Syndrome

Author: Lalithasree Chintam, MD - Family Medicine Resident, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital

People with Down syndrome (DS) experience many of the common eye problems that people without DS experience. Some people with DS experience these common eye problems more frequently and/or at an earli

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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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Influenza

Author: Shelly Verma, DO - Family Medicine Resident, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital

Influenza, or the flu, is caused by the influenza virus. Flu season starts in the fall and peaks between December to March. However, it can last as late as May. There are many different strains of the

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Upper Respiratory Infection - The Common Cold

Author: Jenna Okerblom, DO - Family Medicine Resident, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital

What is it? Most commonly caused by respiratory viruses. Signs and symptoms of the common cold include fever, cough, runny nose, congestion, sore throat, headache, and aches and pains all over. Usuall

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The Utility of Anti-Tissue Transglutaminase Antibody-IgA (tTG-IgA) Testing for Celiac Disease in Adults with Down Syndrome

Author: Chicoine, Parikh, Sulo, & Chicoine - American Journal of Clinical Medicine

Abstract Objectives:  We assessed the diagnostic accuracy of the anti-tissue transglutaminase IgA antibody (tTG-IgA) test compared to esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) in adults with Down&

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Low White Blood Cell Count

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

What is the significance of a low white blood cell count (neutropenia)? We commonly find that our adult patients with Down syndrome have a mildly reduced white blood cell count. What does it mean? Wha

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Elevated Globulin

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

Globulins are antibodies (found and measured in the blood) that are elevated in inflammatory conditions, infections, and some cancers. We often find the globulin level to be elevated in people with Do

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MCH and MCV

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

We received a question about MCH and MCV. The question concerned an individual with Down syndrome who had a high MCH and MCV. MCH is mean corpuscular hemoglobin (the average amount of hemoglobin in th

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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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