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Duration: 8 ms, Number of Results: 25

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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

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Pneumonia in People with Down Syndrome

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

Key Points Lungs are vital organs in the movement of oxygen into the body and the removal of carbon dioxide. Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs. Pneumonia is more common in people with Down syndro

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Incidence and Clinical Outcomes of Pneumonia in Persons with Down Syndrome in the United States

Author: Janoff et al. - Vaccine (2023)

Abstract Background:  Persons with Down syndrome (DS) experience an increased risk of pneumonia. We determined the incidence and outcomes of pneumonia and relationship to underlying comorbidi

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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

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Diagnostic Overshadowing: "All Is Not Down Syndrome"

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

Many families have reported that, when they have told a health care provider about a symptom their loved one with Down syndrome is experiencing, the provider has, in effect, said, “It is jus

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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,

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Considering Dignity of Risk in the Care of People with Intellectual Disabilities: A Clinical Perspective

Author: Chicoine & Kirschner - Perspectives in Biology and Medicine (2022)

Abstract The dignity of risk implies respect for individuals' right to make their own decisions, to participate in a broad range of desired activities, even if those activities have risk, and

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An Introduction to Benefits: Federal and State Programs Available in Illinois

Author: Suzanne Aaron, Information & Outreach Specialist - The Arc of Illinois, Illinois Life Span Program

In January 2022, Suzanne Aaron, an information & outreach specialist from the Illinois Life Span Program of the Arc of Illinois, presented a webinar called "An Introduction t

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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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Gout in People with Down Syndrome

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

Gout is more common in people with Down syndrome (DS) (as indicated by the studies at this link  and this link ). Gout is a type of inflammatory arthritis caused by

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An Introduction to Developmental Disability Resources, Organizations, and Terms - Webinar Slides

Author: The Arc of Illinois - Presentation

In May 2021, the Arc of Illinois hosted a webinar called, "An Introduction to Developmental Disability Resources, Organizations, and Terms." It was a webinar for family members and c

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Does TSH tell the whole story?

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

Thyroid conditions such as hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) and hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) are more common in people with Down syndrome. Current guidelines for adults with Down syndrome

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Pneumonia and Respiratory Infections in Down Syndrome: A Scoping Review of the Literature

Author: Santoro et al. - American Journal of Medical Genetics Part A (2020)

Abstract Pneumonia and respiratory infections impact infants and children with Down syndrome; pneumonia is a leading cause of mortality in adults with Down syndrome. We aimed to review the literature

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Diabetes in Adults with Down Syndrome

Author: Chuan-Li Fan, DO - Family Medicine Resident, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a disease marked by the inability of the body to regulate sugars through insulin. Either the body does not produce enough insulin in the pancreas to help the body absorb suga

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Thyroid, Weight, and Metabolism

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

We were sent a question about thyroid, weight, and metabolism in people with Down syndrome. People with Down syndrome more commonly have hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), one symptom of which is w

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Modeling, Imitation, and Mutual Participation

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

Observing someone demonstrate appropriate behavior, watching a parent or friend model healthy activity, or having a mentor to observe and imitate are all ways we learn a variety of healthy behaviors i

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Ask the Doctor: Thyroid Testing

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

Question: Recently, my daughter’s annual thyroid blood work came back as follows: TSH 9.74 (normal: 0.3-5.0), T3 27.8 (normal: 25.0-35.0), Free T4 1.7 (normal: 1.0-4.3), and T4 6.2 (normal:

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People First

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

When we started the clinic, families spoke to us about what they needed as well as what they expected and what was most likely to help us connect with families and people with Down syndrome. One of th

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Memorial/Life Celebration

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

I spoke at a patient’s memorial/life celebration a few days ago and I would like to share some of my words. I would like to go back to 1954, the year Don was born. Life expectancy of a perso

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Expectations

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

As we mention in our resource on Two Syndromes , there seem to be four main reasons for the differences noted in the different generations of people with Down syndrome – expectations , life

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Goals

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

As we mention in our resource on Two Syndromes , there have been changes over time that have contributed to some of our families with younger children with Down syndrome not relating to the l

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Life Expectancy

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

As we mention in our resource Two Syndromes , there are four main areas that we see are affecting people with Down syndrome in a positive way. The effect has been so great in some situations

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Opportunities

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

Over the years, some families have approached us after presentations and reported they couldn’t relate to a story or a point we made. We have found that it was typically a family of a younge

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Two Syndromes

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

Occasionally, after a presentation, someone will come up to Dr. McGuire or me and tell us that they can’t relate to some point that we made. After hearing this a few times, a pattern became

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