| The American Academy of Pediatrics, among
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| | performed.
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| other health organizations, has issued a
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| | Treatment
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| series of recommendations for screening
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| | Treatment of individuals with Down
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| individuals with Down Syndrome for
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| | Syndrome depends on the particular
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| particular diseases. These guidelines
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| | manifestations of the disease. For
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| enable health care providers to identify
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| | instance, individuals with congenital
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| and prevent important aspects of DS. All
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| | heart disease may need to undergo major
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| other typical newborn, childhood, and
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| | corrective surgery soon after birth.
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| adult screening and vaccination programs
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| | Other individuals may have relatively
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| should also be performed.
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| | minor health problems requiring no
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| Birth
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| | therapy.
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| Initial examination of newborns with DS
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| | Plastic surgery
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| should pay particular attention to
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| | Plastic surgery has sometimes been
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| certain physical signs which are more
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| | advocated and performed on children with
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| commonly found in DS. Evaluation of the
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| | Down syndrome, based on the assumption
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| red reflex can help identify congenital
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| | that surgery can reduce the facial
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| cataracts. Movement of the eyes should be
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| | features associated with Down syndrome,
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| observed to identify strabismus.
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| | therefore decreasing social stigma, and
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| Constipation should raise concerns for
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| | leading to a better quality of life.
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| Hirschsprung's disease and feeding
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| | Plastic surgery on children with Down
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| problems should prompt intense education
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| | syndrome is uncommon, and continues to be
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| to ensure adequate input and nutrition.
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| | controversial. Researchers have found
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| At birth, an ultrasound of the heart
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| | that for facial reconstruction,
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| (echocardiogram) should be done
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| | "...although most patients reported
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| immediately in order to identify
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| | improvements in their child's speech and
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| congenital heart disease. A complete
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| | appearance, independent raters could not
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| blood count should be done in order to
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| | readily discern improvement...." For
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| identify pre-existing leukemia. A hearing
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| | partial glossectomy (tongue reduction),
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| test using brainsteam auditory evoked
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| | one researcher found that 1 out of 3
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| responses (BAERS) testing should be
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| | patients "achieved oral competence," with
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| performed and any hearing deficits
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| | 2 out of 3 showing speech improvement.
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| further characterized. The thyroid
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| | Len Leshin, physician and author of the
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| function should also be tested. Early
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| | ds-health website, has stated, "Despite
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| Childhood Intervention should be involved
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| | being in use for over twenty years, there
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| from birth to help coordinate and plan
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| | is still not a lot of solid evidence in
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| effective strategies for learning and
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| | favor of the use of plastic surgery in
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| development.
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| | children with Down syndrome." The
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| Childhood and adulthood
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| | National Down Syndrome Society has issued
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| As children with DS grow, their progress
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| | a "Position Statement on Cosmetic Surgery
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| should be plotted on a growth chart in
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| | for Children with Down Syndrome" which
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| order to detect deviations from expected
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| | states that "The goal of inclusion and
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| growth. Special growth charts are
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| | acceptance is mutual respect based on who
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| available so that DS children can be
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| | we are as individuals, not how we look."
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| compared with other children with DS.
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| | Alternative treatment
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| Thyroid function testing should be
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| | The Institutes for The Achievement of
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| performed at 6 months and 12 months of
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| | Human Potential is a non-profit
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| age as well as yearly thereafter.
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| | organization which treats children who
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| Evaluation of the ears for infection as
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| | have, as the IAHP terms it, "some form of
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| well as objective hearing tests should be
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| | brain injury," including children with
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| performed at every visit. Formal
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| | Down syndrome. The approach of
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| evaluation for refractive errors
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| | "Psychomotor Patterning" is not
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| requiring glasses should be performed at
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| | proven,and is considered alternative
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| least every two years with subjective
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| | medicine.
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| vision assessments with each visit. After
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| | Lifespan
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| the age of three, an x-ray of the neck
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| | These factors contribute to a
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| should be obtained to screen for
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| | significantly shorter lifespan for people
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| atlanto-axial instability. As the child
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| | with Down syndrome. One study, carried
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| ages, yearly symptom screening for
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| | out in the United States, shows an
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| obstructive sleep apnea should be
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| | average lifespan of 49 years
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