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

Duration: 10 ms, Number of Results: 36

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Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD)

Author: Brian Chicoine, MD, and Dennis McGuire, PhD, LCSW - Adult Down Syndrome Center

*This article was adapted from  Mental Wellness in Adults with Down Syndrome: A Guide to Emotional and Behavioral Strengths and Challenges, 2nd Edition. What is attention-deficit/hyperactivit

Information on COVID-19 Booster Shots from the Adult Down Syndrome Center

Author: Brian Chicoine, MD, Erin Dominiak, MD, and Hannah Graham, MD - Adult Down Syndrome Center

UPDATED 9/9/2022 The physicians of the Adult Down Syndrome Center recommend that individuals with Down syndrome ages 12 years and older who do not have a contraindication follow the recommendations of

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

Pneumococcal Vaccines

Author: Brian Chicoine, MD, Erin Dominiak, MD, and Hannah Graham, MD - Adult Down Syndrome Center

April 2022: We updated this resource to include information about Prevnar 20 (pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, PCV20). What is pneumococcal disease?  Pneumococcal disease is caused by

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

Immune Response to COVID-19 Vaccines

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

We have shared both our clinical experience and studies that demonstrate clinical effectiveness and safety of COVID-19 vaccines in people with Down syndrome. However, until recently, studies have not

Safety and Long-Term Immunogenicity of BNT162b2 Vaccine in Individuals with Down Syndrome

Author: Valentini et al. - Journal of Clinical Medicine (2022)

Abstract We aimed to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of the BNT162b2 vaccine in young people with Down syndrome (DS), and to compare their humoral immune response with those of the healthy cont

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

Epilepsy in Down Syndrome: A Highly Prevalent Comorbidity

Author: Altuna, Gimenez, & Fortea - Journal of Clinical Medicine (2021)

Abstract Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) have an increased risk for epilepsy during the whole lifespan, but especially after age 40 years. The increase in the number of individuals with DS living

Stroke and Vascular Disease in Down Syndrome Webinar Recording

Author: Jonathan Santoro, MD - Director of Neuroimmunology and Demyelinating Disorders Program at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Assistant Professor of Neurology at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California

The webinar below was hosted by the Down Syndrome Association of Los Angeles. The topic was "Stroke and Vascular Disease in Down Syndrome: How to Identify and Prevent." The presenter

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.

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

Tourette Syndrome and Down Syndrome

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

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a hereditary, chronic neuromuscular condition consisting of motor and vocal tics. Tics are sudden, involuntary, brief, repetitive movements and vocalizations.* Motor tics can

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

Flu Vaccine Information for People with Down Syndrome

Author: Daniela Estrada Gomez, MD - Down Syndrome Program of Mass General Hospital for Children

Individuals with and without Down syndrome can experience harmful symptoms and complications from the flu. The best way to avoid catching the flu is to get the flu vaccine each year. To learn more abo

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

Antibodies Against Measles

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

We were recently contacted regarding the testing for antibodies (immunity) against measles as part of a pre-employment physical. This is a common request for jobs in health care and for some colleges.

Catatonia in Down Syndrome: Systematic Approach to Diagnosis, Treatment and Outcome Assessment Based on a Case Series of Seven Patients

Author: Miles et al. - Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment (2019)

Abstract Objective:  The goal is to expand our knowledge of catatonia occurring in adolescents and young adults with Down syndrome (DS) by describing the first prospective, consecutive, well-

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Individuals with Down Syndrome Video

Author: Joseph Pereira - Harvard Medical School, MassGeneral Hospital for Children

The video below was narrated and presented by Joseph Pereira, a 4th year medical student at Harvard Medical School, as part of his work with the MGH Down Syndrome Program . He shares information about

Seizures in People with Down Syndrome and Alzheimer's Disease

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

We were sent a question about seizures in a person with Down syndrome who developed Alzheimer’s disease. The individual continued to experience seizures despite being treated with l

The Pattern of Malignancies in Down Syndrome and Its Potential Context with the Immune System

Author: Satge & Seidel - Frontiers in Immunology (2018)

Abstract The immune surveillance theory of cancer posits that the body's immune system detects and destroys randomly occurring malignant cells. This theory is based on the observation of the i

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

Seizures

Author: Aashima Ghai, DO - Family Medicine Resident, Adult Down Syndrome Center

Definition: Seizures are waves of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The brain has multiple nerve cells that create and receive electrical impulses which help the cells communicate with each o

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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