Resources | Adult Down Syndrome Center

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

Tremors in People with Down Syndrome

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

Key Points Tremors are repetitive involuntary movements. Tremors can be mild and cause limited disruption or more severe and restricting. There are many causes for tremors. An evaluation by a health p

Temperature Regulation in People with Down Syndrome

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

Key Points How the body manages (regulates) body temperature is different in people with Down syndrome compared to people without Down syndrome. The difference in body temperature regulation

Pain in People with Down Syndrome

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

Key Points People with Down syndrome experience pain but some individuals report it less often than people without Down syndrome. There are a variety of reasons why people with Down syndrome may repor

Changes in Gait (Ambulation, Walking)

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

Key Points A change in gait (walking) is a change seen in many people with Down syndrome. There are many possible causes for those changes. Family or other observers can play a critical role in assess

Chronic Cough in Adults with Down Syndrome

Author: Ravi Shah, MD and Brian Chicoine, MD - Family Medicine, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital

Key Points Chronic cough is a cough that lasts more than eight weeks (four weeks in a child). There are many reasons for a chronic cough. Three common causes in people with Down syndrome (DS) include

Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures or Fake Seizures

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

We periodically get asked questions about “fake seizures.” They have also been called “pseudo-seizures” but are now more accurately called non-epileptic seizure

Eating Refusal

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

We received the following question: I have a son with Down syndrome. He had testicular cancer in his late 20s. Since then, he seems to have developed an eating disorder. He always feels he i

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

Perspectives on Pain in Down Syndrome

Author: Shaikh et al. - Medicinal Research Reviews (2023)

Abstract Down syndrome (DS) or trisomy 21 is a genetic condition often accompanied by chronic pain caused by congenital abnormalities and/or conditions, such as osteoarthritis, recurrent infections, a

Behavior Changes in Individuals with Down Syndrome Webinar Recording (2/23/2023)

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

The video below is a recording of a webinar presented by Brian Chicoine, MD, Katie Frank, PhD, OTR/L, and Abby Rowley, LCSW, on February 23, 2023. In this webinar, the presenters define, iden

Getting an EEG Visual

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

This Getting an EEG visual explains what happens when we have an electroencephalogram (EEG) done. It can help individuals with Down syndrome know what to expect when going for an EEG. Additi

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/hyperactivi

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

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

Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Cerebrovascular Disease, and Amyloid in Older Adults with Down Syndrome Across the Alzheimer's Continuum

Author: Lao et al. - Sleep Advances: A Journal of the Sleep Research Society (2022)

Abstract We determined the extent to which obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with increased cerebrovascular disease and amyloid burden, and the relation of the two processes across clinical