| Down
Syndrome
RNS, down syndrome,
May 2004
1:53
URL http://www.med.umich.edu/opm/newspage/2004/hmdown.htm
Unique clinic
addresses special health needs of Down syndrome
UMHS clinic provides coordinated care for children, adults
Suggested
Lead: For many years, children with Down syndrome were warehoused
and families were encouraged to give children with Down syndrome
up for adoption, but that is no longer the case. Here is Erin Block
with more.
TRT 1:53
SOQ
Down syndrome
is a genetic disorder that affects one in 800 live births. Children
born with Down syndrome have an extra copy of the 21st chromosome
for a total of 47 instead of 46 chromosomes. It’s also referred
to as Trisomy 21 because people with Down syndrome have three copies
of the 21st chromosome. The likelihood of a woman having a baby
with Down syndrome increases with maternal age.
Dr. Joseph Hornyak,
(M.D.), Ph.D., assistant professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
at U-M Medical School tells us
“In
people with Down syndrome there’s a number of medical issues
that need to be addressed on a regular basis. And with most primary
care physicians, with an incidence of Down syndrome being one
in 800 people, they don’t have a large population of people
with Down syndrome, so they’re typically not aware of these
recommendations.”
The most common
problem associated with this condition is mental retardation. Virtually
every child and adult with Down syndrome has some mental disability.
Other problems affect the heart, thyroid and other hormonal systems,
and about 10 percent to 15 percent of people with Down syndrome
are at higher risk of cervical spinal cord injury because of some
neck instability.
The University
of Michigan Health System has opened a new specialty Down syndrome
clinic to address both the medical and rehabilitation needs of children
and adults with Down syndrome.
As part of the
UMHS Down syndrome clinic, parents get help dealing with the child’s
school including orders or prescriptions for the school to provide
certain services.
Hornyak explains
“We’ve
found that having these children involved in a regular classroom
is very important. That by providing the appropriate services
that children can learn, they can read, they can do things that
a lot of typical people can do at a different level, but they
can make nice progress and making sure that we provide the appropriate
services through schools, through therapies, it’s very important.”
In addition
to focusing on medical care and rehabilitation services, the Down
syndrome clinic has included a research component. Work includes
improving care for people with Down syndrome and educating the larger
population, including families, to better support people with Down
syndrome in the community.
Erin Block,
UM Health System News
|
Additional
PRMC Info
