The Down Syndrome Clinic
In existence since the 1980s, the Down Syndrome Clinic at Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota provides specialized consultation to patients with Down syndrome from birth to 19 years of age.
Working in partnership with each patient’s primary care provider, our goal is to ensure that all medical and developmental concerns are carefully evaluated and addressed. Special attention is devoted to needs and issues which are more prevalent among children with Down syndrome, including:
- Growth and nutrition
- Thyroid function
- Gastrointestinal issues
- Vision and hearing
- Musculoskeletal development
- Sleep
Developmental assessment and support
Children and adolescents with Down syndrome have a broad array of special needs related to learning and development. Providers are prepared to evaluate and discuss each patient’s progress in key areas of development: Providers are prepared to evaluate and discuss each patient’s progress in key areas of development:
- Feeding skills
- Gross motor development and fitness
- Communication skills
- Self care skills and toilet training
- Behavior
- Social skills
- Personal safety
With approval from the patient’s primary care provider, referrals may be made for further evaluation and/or treatment at any of the Children’s developmental and rehabilitation services clinics throughout the Twin Cities area. Among the available services are:
- Audiology
- Feeding disorders clinic/nutrition
- Physical therapy
- Speech and language therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Child psychology referrals are also available when appropriate.
Visits to the Down Syndrome Clinic provide families the opportunity to discuss medical and developmental concerns with pediatric professionals who have special expertise in caring for children with Down syndrome. Your visit may include:
Your child's clinic visit
- Health history/review
- Complete physical exam
- Targeted developmental evaluation (may focus on motor, communication, self-sufficiency skills, and more)
- Dedicated time for parental concerns and questions
- Information about local and regional resources available for children with special needs
- Overview of clinical guidelines established by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Down Syndrome Medical Interest Group
While consultation and treatment is available in every pediatric subspecialty, services of particular interest to parents of children with Down syndrome include:
Appointments
To learn more about Children’s Down Syndrome Clinic or to schedule an appointment at our Minneapolis or St. Paul campus, call (612) 813-6777
Our Team
- Nancy Mendelsohn, MD
Genetics - Mary Ella Pierpont, MD
Genetics - James Moore, MD
Developmental Pediatrics - Rebecca Olson, CPNP
Genetics - Daniel McLellan, MD
Developmental Pediatrics
