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

Duration: 12 ms, Number of Results: 57

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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

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

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

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

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

UPDATED January 18, 2024 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 recommenda

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

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

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

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

Taking My Thyroid Medication Visual

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

Several endocrine conditions, including hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), are more common in people with Down syndrome compared to people without Down syndrome. Levothyroxine (Synthroid, Tirosint,

Pneumococcal Vaccines

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

What is pneumococcal disease?  Pneumococcal disease is caused by  Streptococcus pneumoniae  bacteria. It is a leading cause of vaccine-preventable illness and death in the U

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

Unexplained Weight Loss

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

What can cause unexplained weight loss? We were sent a question about unexplained weight loss. We are sharing some information here for general knowledge and/or information that can be used in consult

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

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

Prevalence of Endocrine Disorders Among 6078 Individuals with Down Syndrome in the United States

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

Abstract Findings from a recent study describing prevalence of common disease conditions in the largest documented cohort of individuals with Down syndrome (DS) in the United States strongly suggested

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