Treatment for Down syndrome includes physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and school support measures, depending on each person’s needs, in addition to regular follow-up with a doctor.
Down syndrome is a genetic condition and, although it has no cure, through treatment it is possible to help affected children develop their physical and intellectual abilities, especially when started early.
Read too: Down syndrome: what it is, characteristics, causes and treatment
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If Down syndrome is suspected, it is recommended to consult a pediatrician, who is the best doctor to guide your treatment and identify the specific needs of each child as they grow.
Main treatment options
The main treatment options for Down syndrome include:
1. Regular follow-up with the doctor
People with Down syndrome are at greater risk of respiratory or heart problems, intellectual disability, hypothyroidism, obstructive sleep apnea, epilepsy and vision or hearing problems, for example.
Therefore, monitoring with a pediatrician is essential to identify these problems early and guide their treatment, referring the child to doctors from other specialties and health professionals, according to their needs.
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2. Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy for children with Down syndrome involves activities and exercises that help increase muscle strength, improve posture and balance and, therefore, promote motor development.
3. Occupational therapy
Occupational therapy can help people with Down syndrome develop important skills for independence, such as dressing themselves, using the bathroom, brushing their teeth and using cutlery or the telephone, for example.
4. Speech therapy
Due to Down syndrome, it is common for affected children to experience difficulties in language development, and it is important to consult a speech therapist to encourage communication in these cases.
5. Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy support can help a person with Down syndrome to better deal with difficulties that may arise due to behavioral problems, depression or anxiety, for example. Find out what psychotherapy is and what it is for.
6. School support
It is common for children with Down syndrome to have learning difficulties, and it is important that they receive school support in the form of measures such as adapting their tasks and materials or access to a resource room.
7. Wearing glasses
Due to an increased risk of problems such as nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism, some children with Down syndrome may need to wear glasses to aid their vision.
Read too: 12 most common eye diseases (and what to do)
It is important that these problems are identified early and, therefore, follow-up with an ophthalmologist every 1 or 2 years is normally recommended.
8. Hearing aids
Hearing problems are common in children with Down syndrome. Therefore, the use of hearing aids may be indicated in some cases, being important to promote language development, socialization and learning, for example.
In addition to hearing aids, cochlear implants may also be an option to correct hearing deficits in some cases of Down syndrome. Understand better what a cochlear implant is and how it works.
