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Trichotillomania (Hair Pulling)

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

Key Points Trichotillomania is a mental health condition in a category called "body-focused repetitive behaviors." It is characterized by frequent, repeated, and irresistible urges t

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6 Ways to Avoid the Winter Blues

Author: Adult Down Syndrome Center - Resource

Cold weather, less sunlight, post-holiday fatigue. These can all take a toll on our mental health during the winter months. Some people with Down syndrome may be unable to communicate how these factor

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Obsessive-Compulsive Behaviors: Promoting Independence or Cause for Concern? Webinar Recording (01/08/2025)

Author: Michele Mattox, LCSW - North Carolina Down Syndrome Virtual Speaker Series

Title:  Obsessive-Compulsive Behaviors: Promoting Independence or Cause for Concern?  Date:  January 8, 2025 Presenter:  Michele Mattox, LCSW Host Organization:&

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Finding a Mental Health Professional

Author: Adult Down Syndrome Center - Resource

How can I find a therapist, psychiatrist, or other mental health professional with experience working with individuals with Down syndrome? Here are a few suggestions.  Contact a Down syndrome

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Promoting Mental Health Across the Lifespan in Individuals with Down Syndrome Webinar Recording (5/8/2024)

Author: Abby Rowley, LCSW and Brian Chicoine, MD - Adult Down Syndrome Center

The video below is a recording of a webinar presented by Abby Rowley, LCSW, and Brian Chicoine, MD, on May 8, 2024.  Description:  Mental health is a critical component of overall we

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Psychotherapy for Individuals with Down Syndrome

Author: Abby Rowley, LCSW - Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Adult Down Syndrome Center

Key Points Some people with Down syndrome benefit from psychotherapy. Therapists work with individuals with a variety of skills, needs, and goals. Psychotherapy is often one part of a treatment plan t

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Staff Turnover

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

For people living in a group home or participating in day programs, the staff members often become like family. This is especially true if the person does not have other family involved in his life bu

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Opposite Actions

Author: Abby Rowley, LCSW - Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Adult Down Syndrome Center

When we experience an emotion, there is often a behavioral urge that comes along with it. When we feel angry, we may have the urge to yell or break things or hurt someone. When we feel sad, we may hav

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Reframing our Thoughts

Author: Abby Rowley, LCSW - Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Adult Down Syndrome Center

Reframing our thoughts is a strategy to change the way we think about a situation, person, or relationship. Sometimes, we can get stuck in thought patterns that negatively impact our mood and behavior

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Calming vs. Coping Strategies

Author: Abby Rowley, LCSW - Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Adult Down Syndrome Center

What is the difference between calming and coping strategies? Many times, we use the terms "calming" and "coping" interchangeably. There is often overlap in the str

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Resources on Healthy Ways to Manage Stress and Strong Emotions

Author: Adult Down Syndrome Center - Resource List

Learning how to manage our stress and strong emotions in healthy ways is a lifelong process. We have compiled a list of resources below that may help people with and without Down syndrome who

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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

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Fear of Heights

Author: Brian Chicoine, MD and Abby Rowley, LCSW - Adult Down Syndrome Center

We have seen people with Down syndrome with a variety of phobias. Concern about heights is one we see more commonly. For this fear in particular, we often ask if it is indeed a phobia or if it is caus

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Steps to Accessing Adult Services and Supports

Author: Ann Garcia - Patient Advocate, Adult Down Syndrome Center

While special education services are an entitlement, adult services are based on eligibility and availability of funding. In the adult developmental disabilities system, Medicaid is the primary paymen

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Alternatives to Guardianship

Author: Ann Garcia - Patient Advocate

Families trying to decide what level of support would work best for their adult family member with Down syndrome may want to look at options besides guardianship . Individuals with Down syndrome and t

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Guardianship

Author: Ann Garcia - Patient Advocate

Whether you decide to obtain guardianship for your child is an individual family decision that should be considered carefully. If your child is 18 years old and is unable to make decisions about finan

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Contingency Maps

Author: Abby Rowley, LCSW - Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Adult Down Syndrome Center

Contingency maps can help an individual visualize their behavioral choices and the outcomes/consequences of their behaviors. They can help make the problem-solving process more concrete. The individua

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Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs)

Author: Abby Rowley, LCSW - Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Adult Down Syndrome Center

The handouts linked below were developed to teach individuals with Down syndrome how to think more positively. If an individual has an automatic negative thought (or ANT), they can squish it or brush

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How to Cope with Stress

Author: Abby Rowley, LCSW - Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Adult Down Syndrome Center

Coping with stress is an important and necessary part of life. There are some strategies that can help us manage our reactions to different life stressors. The steps below are strategies that I use wi

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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

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Employment Resources

Author: Ann Garcia and Jennifer Smid - Patient Advocates, Adult Down Syndrome Center

This list of resources was compiled by the patient advocates at the Adult Down Syndrome Center. Some of these resources are specific to the greater Chicagoland area and/or Illinois. If you are looking

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College and Vocational Training Resources

Author: Ann Garcia and Jennifer Smid - Patient Advocates, Adult Down Syndrome Center

This list of resources was compiled by Ann Garcia, patient advocate at the Adult Down Syndrome Center. Most of these resources are specific to the greater Chicagoland area and/or Illinois. If

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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/hyperactivi

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Obsessional Slowness

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

What is obsessional slowness? Obsessional slowness is an apparent form of obsessive-compulsive disorder that appears to be more common in people with Down syndrome. At this point, much more needs to b

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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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