DSAGC Logo

Health Professionals

The DSAGC is a resource center for your patients and families with a diagnosis of Down syndrome. We can provide materials for your office and in-service training to your medical staff.  Give us a call at 513.761.5400 or email Sasi Chockalingam, our Health Outreach Specialist.


How to share the news that a baby has Down syndrome

A simple narrative to help start your conversation...

“Hello, Mr. & Mrs. Smith…Congratulations on your new baby. Have you chosen a name for your daughter? Jasmine! Jasmine is a lovely name. Jasmine is the reason I asked to speak with both of you. Please take a seat. You may have noticed that Jasmine has some distinctive facial characteristics. The nurses and I have also noticed this and based on these concerns, we feel that Jasmine may have Down syndrome. We are not sure at this time, but let me tell you a little about Down syndrome and what we plan to do for Jasmine…”


Why is this important?

The words that you choose to deliver the diagnosis to a new family will echo in their minds forever, so it is very important to choose your words thoughtfully. Parents need to know that although this is a difficult time, no one knows what the future holds for any newborn baby. They should maintain high expectations for this baby just as they would for any child. This child is a baby first and the birth should be cause for celebration.


Leave the family with concrete plans as to how to proceed from this point.

These plans should include the following:

Most importantly, let the parents know who to call with questions and concerns. Let them know the DSAGC is available to support them, and they can be contacted at: (513) 761-5400 or at www.dsagc.com.


How Nurses Can Help New Parents

Nurses and medical staff can help parents cope with the diagnosis that their baby has Down syndrome. You can be a wealth of support by following these suggestions:


Health Guidelines

The GLOBAL Medical Care Guidelines for Adults with Down Syndrome provide first of-kind, evidence-based medical recommendations to support clinicians in their care of adults with Down syndrome. This life-changing resource as published in JAMA covers 9 topic areas deemed critically important for the health and well-being of adults with Down syndrome and outlines critical future research needs. Adults with Down syndrome and their caregivers should review the GLOBAL Guidelines with their clinicians to ensure they are receiving care meeting best-practice standards for adults with Down syndrome!

Learn more

Click here to view the FULL Adult Medical Care Guidelines.

Click here to view the Family-Friendly Adult Medial Care Guidelines

Click here to view a printable Adult Medical Care Guidelines Checklist.


In July of 2011, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Committee on Genetics published revised guidelines to assist physicians in providing care to individuals with Down syndrome (Ds). Previous guidelines were published in 1999. Eight years later, the most welcomed and updated guidelines provide clinicians assistance in the key areas including prenatal testing and counseling; feeding in the infant with Down syndrome; airway, cardiac , neurologic and gastrointestinal assessment; growth in children with focus on BMI or weight for length (no longer using Ds growth curves); evaluation for atlantoaxial instability (AAI), clarification about screening for thyroid disorders and celiac screening; and vision and hearing screening.

Summary of the Health Guidelines for Children with Down syndrome