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Down Syndrome Research and Practice
Advance Online Publication

Practice

  • Special at school but lonely at home: An alternative friendship group for adolescents with Down syndrome
    J D’Haem
    Friends play a significant role in mental and physical health; however, individuals with Down syndrome and other developmental disabilities, even those who are included in general education programmes, have not developed friendships as hoped. After a decade of inclusion and structured school programmes to facilitate friendships, many parents report that peer relationships end after school hours. This study compared the efficacy of school based friendship groups with a mixed age home based...
  • Handling the transfer to secondary school
    E Bull
    The transfer to secondary education can be an anxious time and planning ahead can help. This article offers practical advice about what to consider, when to start planning and discusses many of the issues involved in the transition to later schooling. Written from the perspective of the English school system, many of the issues and principles are broadly applicable.

Essays

  • Motherhood and genetic screening: a personal perspective
    F Place
    According to the medical profession the direction and scope of reproductive services such as IVF and pre-natal screening are based on solid evidence; the evidence indicates these are effective and safe services. Moreover, women want them. As a consequence these services are usually presented to the wider community in a positive light with images of ‘successful’ birth outcomes showcasing the importance of their work. Unsurprisingly this has lead to women being expected to take control - from timing a pregnancy to choosing one particular pregnancy over another – they are to improve their lives and the health of their offspring. But are these developments all ‘good’ news?

Reports

  • Medical conditions and medication use in adults with Down syndrome: A descriptive analysis
    G Kerins, K Petrovic, M Bruder and C Gruman
    Background: We examined the presence of medical conditions and medication use within a sample of adults with Down syndrome. Methods: Retrospective chart review using a sample of 141 adults with Down syndrome and age range of 30 to 65 years. Results: We identify 23 categories of commonly occurring medical conditions and 24 categories of medications used by adults with Down syndrome. Conclusion: Approximately 75 of older adults with Down syndrome in our sample experience memory loss and dementia....
  • Prevalence of MTHFR C677T polymorphism in north Indian mothers having babies with Trisomy 21 Down syndrome
    U Kohli, S Arora, M Kabra, L Ramakrishnan, S Gulati and R Pandey
    Recent studies have evaluated possible links between polymorphisms in maternal folate metabolism genes and Down syndrome. Some of these studies show a significantly increased prevalence of the C677T polymorphism of the 5,10-methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (NADPH) gene (MTHFR) among mothers who have had babies with Down syndrome. This study examined the prevalence of the MTHFR C677T polymorphism among 104 north Indian mothers of babies with Down syndrome and 109 control mothers. The...
  • Medical issues among children and teenagers with Down syndrome in Hong Kong
    W Yam, P Tse, C Yu, C Chow, W But, K Li, L Lee, E Fung, P Mak and J Lau
    We examined the prevalence of medical problems in children and teenagers with Down syndrome in Hong Kong. Methods: Children with Down syndrome receiving care from seven regional hospitals were included and their hospital records were reviewed. A total of 407 patients, aged between 0.06 and 17.16 years were included. Cardiovascular problems were observed in 216 (53%), endocrine problems in 111 (27%), gastrointestinal problems in 46 (11%), haematological problems in 18 (4%), neurological problems...