Pediatric Down Syndrome Clinic

Down syndrome is a medical condition that occurs when an individual has a full or partial extra copy of chromosome 21. This additional genetic material changes the way a person develops and causes mental, physical and behavioral challenges that can require specialty treatment to meet each person's diverse medical needs.

Our goal is to make sure children with Down syndrome receive the highest standard of care so they can live happy, healthy lives. This means that we follow the American Academy of Pediatric Health Supervision guidelines for children with Down syndrome.

Our leading experts look forward to serving you and your family with outstanding care.

Experts specializing in Pediatric Down Syndrome

Our team of experts consists of:

• A developmental-behavioral pediatrician

• A developmental-behavioral pediatrics fellow

• A general pediatrician

• A developmental nurse practitioner

• A clinical nurse specialist

• Genetic counselors

• Geneticists

• Social workers

Each provider specializes in caring for children with Down syndrome and plays an important role in your child’s care. We understand the unique medical, mental, physical and behavioral challenges children with Down syndrome can experience and are here to provide comprehensive care and compassionate support.

Comprehensive Care for Pediatric Down Syndrome

We meet with patients and their families once or twice each year to review their general health and specialty medical needs. Appointments generally last 2-3 hours and include multiple specialists. Our services include:

• General medical exams. We’ll review your child’s general health and medical records with our general pediatrics team. We’ll also provide referrals to any medical specialists your child needs. For example, we may refer your child to an eye doctor if they are having issues with their vision.

• Developmental behavioral consultations. Our developmental behavioral pediatric specialists will assess your child’s mental and behavioral needs. From there, we’ll develop a plan on how to manage these concerns and help your child. For instance, your child may need a specific educational plan to help them succeed in school.

• Transition to adult care. We help patients gradually transition from pediatric to adult medical care to help them succeed as they get older and become more independent.

Together, we’ll work closely with you to make sure your child is receiving the best care possible.

Community Support

In addition to expert medical care, we are committed to providing community support to you and your family. We often have parent volunteers from the Down Syndrome Guild of Dallas who visit our clinic to assist with community events and meet with families one-on-one. Most of our volunteers also have children with Down syndrome and are passionate about helping other families navigate the challenges that come with this unique condition.

We love connecting families with other families who have similar experiences to create a strong sense of community and support.

Reach Out and Read

Reach Out and Read is a national nonprofit that champions the positive effects of shared reading and engaging in other language-rich activities with young children.

Resources

National resources:

• National Association for Down Syndrome (NADS)

• National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC)

• National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS)

Local resources:

• Down Syndrome Guild of Dallas

• Down Syndrome Partnership of North Texas

• East Texas Down Syndrome Group

• Navigate Life Texas

• Red River Valley Down Syndrome Society