Patients and staff celebrated World Down Syndrome Day at Queensland’s first and only clinic dedicated to enhancing the health and wellbeing of people with the genetic disorder.
The clinic, located at the Queensland Centre of Excellence in Autism and Intellectual Disability Health (QCEAIDH) at Mater in South Brisbane, delivers holistic and accessible to care that addresses the unique needs of people with Down syndrome.
QCEAIDH Director Dr Cathy Franklin said that people with Down syndrome often faced more complex physical and mental health challenges compared with the general population.
“As the most common genetic cause of intellectual disability, Down syndrome is associated with higher rates of heart conditions, thyroid disorders, hearing and vision impairments, and mental health conditions,” Dr Franklin said.
“However, accessing healthcare can be challenging due to communication barriers and the need for more tailored support.
“We designed the new Down syndrome clinic to provide a range of health professionals in the one spot at one time.”
Nearly 15,000 Australians have Down syndrome, and thanks to medical advances and a change in social attitudes, life expectancy has increased from an average of 15 years in 1950, to 60 years and over today.
The clinic marked World Down Syndrome Day with a morning tea with patients and carers who had the opportunity to visit the clinic and meet some the specialist healthcare practitioners.
Dr Franklin said that having a clinic dedicated for people with Down syndrome allows us to offer specialised support, resources and provide opportunities for other health professionals to learn about Down syndrome.
Dr Franklin said clinic patients would also have the opportunity to participate in the Down syndrome registry, part of an international consortium led by Massachusetts General Hospital’s Professor Brian Skotko.
“The consortium identifies health priorities and produces academic publications that inform clinical practice,” she said.
“These will contribute to the ongoing research conducted at QCEAIDH to make healthcare more equitable and accessible for all people with intellectual disability.”
Dr Franklin said QCEAIDH also developed research and education resources that raised awareness among healthcare practitioners of the importance of tailoring services to the unique needs of people with Down syndrome.”
