December 20, 2003
Other Illnesses
Question from Athens, Georgia, USA:
I learned today that my friend’s son (age 9) has diabetes (don’t know what type). The child also has Down Syndrome. Are there additional problems that the boy will have because of the Down Syndrome?
Answer:
Diabetes is more common in those with Down Syndrome. Also, celiac disease and thyroid problems. We routinely recommend screening for celiac disease and thyroid disorders in youngsters with Down Syndrome while diabetes does not usually get detected on screening.
There are no specific problems vis-a-vis these disorders except the usual difficulties of those who are mentally challenged and the family members’ responsibilities increased as a result. Those of us with large pediatric endocrine practices have many such children for whom we provide care and the general principles of care apply.
SB
