Meet Dr. Brian Chicoine Dr. Chicoine is the Medical Director of the Adult Down Syndrome Center and is on the Family Medicine faculty at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital. Down Syndrome: Where Does It Stand Today? Prayer: Loving God, help me connect with all people. Keep me mindful of the ways we are alike rather than the ways we are different. Amen. Existing to serve our community Related to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the United Church of Christ (www.advocatehealth.com) Your Advocate • Adult Down Syndrome Center: advocatehealth/adultdown.com • National Association for Down Syndrome: nads.org • Ups for DownS (Chicago-area parent support group): upsfordowns.org The Adult Down Syndrome Center is a comprehensive medical resource which provides medical and psychosocial care for those 12 and older with Down syndrome. Making visitors comfortable is important here, so included on its website is a video clip of an actual walk inside the center. “By giving people a real look at us before they visit, we make the center less threatening,” says Dr. Chicoine. The center itself reﬂects the caring nature of Dr. Chicoine who has been with it since its inception. In 1992, he returned to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital (where he had trained) at the very same time the National Association for Down syndrome wanted to start a clinic. “The timing was nothing short of perfect,” admits Chicoine, who as a college student had worked at day camps for kids with disabilities. A marathon runner himself, Dr. Chicoine dreamed of using running to motivate patients toward better health. Today the center runs several short races each year. Recently, pedome- ters were given to many of the adults at the center to encour- age them to walk a certain number of steps each day. “Ours is the ﬁrst and the largest such center. There are only a few like it across the country, but ours is part of the mission of a faith-based institution. That’s why we do this.” Email Dr. Chicoine ([email protected]) for an “In the Grove” walking schedule. You may walk in an event or bring a person with Down syndrome to an event and walk with him or her. 1 in every 800 newborns in the United States is born with Down syndrome, one of the most common of birth defects. Today approximately 350,000 people have Down syndrome. Those born with this condition have some degree of mental retardation (usually in the mild to moderate range) as well as characteristic physical features. Many have health problems, such as hypothyroidism, hearing loss, respiratory infections. Early medical help can have big rewards for these children. Most areas now have specialized programs in which they are stimulated with appropriate sensory, motor, and cognitive ac- tivities at a very early age. Children with Down syndrome usually meet developmental milestones but do so at a delayed pace; additional help can close the gap some. Important decisions need to be made for these children early in their lives, so having a group of trusted professionals to help evaluate health and education resources is critical. Seek- ing out other families dealing with the same issues is both comforting and practical. Teens with Down syndrome usually graduate from high school. Most adults with Down syndrome function well in mainstream society. They have jobs, friends, romantic rela- tionships, and are a part of their community. As many as 80% of them will reach the age of 55, and many will live longer. Some adults with Down syndrome live in group homes with others with that condition. Some live with their families. Oth- ers live independently. Although they face challenges, most can live healthy, happy, and productive lives. October Is Down Syndrome Awareness Month.

Down Syndrome: Where Does It Stand Today? Your Advocate · Some adults with Down syndrome live in group homes with others with that condition. Some live with their families. Oth-ers

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Page 1: Down Syndrome: Where Does It Stand Today? Your Advocate · Some adults with Down syndrome live in group homes with others with that condition. Some live with their families. Oth-ers

Meet Dr. Brian ChicoineDr. Chicoine is the Medical Director of the Adult Down Syndrome Center and

is on the Family Medicine faculty at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital.

Down Syndrome: Where Does It Stand Today?

Prayer: Loving God, help me connect with all people. Keep me mindful of the ways we are alike rather than the

ways we are different. Amen.

Existing to serve our community

Related to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the United Church of Christ

(www.advocatehealth.com)

Your Advocate

• Adult Down Syndrome Center: advocatehealth/adultdown.com• National Association for Down Syndrome: nads.org• Ups for DownS (Chicago-area parent support group): upsfordowns.org

The Adult Down Syndrome Center is a comprehensive medi-cal resource which provides medical and psychosocial care for those 12 and older with Down syndrome. Making visitors comfortable is important here, so included on its website is a video clip of an actual walk inside the center. “By giving peo-ple a real look at us before they visit, we make the center less threatening,” says Dr. Chicoine.

The center itself reflects the caring nature of Dr. Chicoine who has been with it since its inception. In 1992, he returned to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital (where he had trained) at the very same time the National Association for Down syn-drome wanted to start a clinic. “The timing was nothing short of perfect,” admits Chicoine, who as a college student had worked at day camps for kids with disabilities.

A marathon runner himself, Dr. Chicoine dreamed of using running to motivate patients toward better health. Today the center runs several short races each year. Recently, pedome-ters were given to many of the adults at the center to encour-age them to walk a certain number of steps each day.

“Ours is the first and the largest such center. There are only a few like it across the country, but ours is part of the mission of a faith-based institution. That’s why we do this.”

Email Dr. Chicoine ([email protected]) for an “In the Grove” walking schedule. You may walk in an event or bring a person with Down syndrome to an event and walk with him or her.

1 in every 800 newborns in the United States is born with Down syndrome, one of the most common of birth defects. Today approximately 350,000 people have Down syndrome.

Those born with this condition have some degree of mental retardation (usually in the mild to moderate range) as well as characteristic physical features. Many have health problems, such as hypothyroidism, hearing loss, respiratory infections.

Early medical help can have big rewards for these children. Most areas now have specialized programs in which they are stimulated with appropriate sensory, motor, and cognitive ac-tivities at a very early age. Children with Down syndrome usually meet developmental milestones but do so at a delayed pace; additional help can close the gap some.

Important decisions need to be made for these children early in their lives, so having a group of trusted professionals to help evaluate health and education resources is critical. Seek-ing out other families dealing with the same issues is both comforting and practical.

Teens with Down syndrome usually graduate from high school. Most adults with Down syndrome function well in mainstream society. They have jobs, friends, romantic rela-tionships, and are a part of their community. As many as 80% of them will reach the age of 55, and many will live longer.

Some adults with Down syndrome live in group homes with others with that condition. Some live with their families. Oth-ers live independently. Although they face challenges, most can live healthy, happy, and productive lives.

October Is Down Syndrome Awareness Month.