About to adopt baby with DS - Down Syndrome Message Board

Tina UK · 09-28-2001, 01:23 AM

Hi everyone

We live in Devon, UK and are about to adopt a baby with DS.

Although we have already adopted four children, they were all over 5 when placed.

Are there any tips you can offer about best feeding practice, sleep needs - anything really that will help the little bod.

Any responses will be so appreciated.

Tina
x

Kennedy · 09-28-2001, 08:57 AM

Hi, this forum I know doesn't get too many replies.I go to one also thats ONLY for down syndrome.It is a very busy one and you will most certainly get answers quite quickly. hope I am allowed to post it since its just the down syndrome society.

[url="http://www.nads.org"]www.nads.org[/url]

I find it very helpful since I have a 3 year old with ds.I would answer your questions myself but I also have a 7 week old and am on my way out.I will try later to think of what I can come up with but try nads.It really is a great place.

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Mom to Abigail(10/98) who happens to have down syndrome and Jackson(08/01) [url="http://www.geocities.com/marina_girl1"]www.geocities.com/marina_girl1[/url]

rlgunter · 10-02-2001, 08:24 PM

Hi Tina Congratulations!!! You are very brave to have adopted 4 now 5 children. Each baby with downs is different. Our son was very small 5 pounds when born stayed in ICU for a week and then came home to a normal life. At 5 months old we started him in a developmental preschool program. Then at 7 months we found out he needed heart surgery. After the heart was repaired (had 2 holes) he hasn't slowed down a bit. Back to newborn, when we brought Tanner home we used a premie bottle and nipple and he would only take 1/2 once at a feeding. Then he started sleeping through the night at 3 weeks old. Some things to look for is heart defects. Tanners heart problems were discovered after he had a bought with pnumonia, they did a Echocardiogram on him and discovered 2 holes. Another problem was chronic ear infections. We had PE tubes put in his ears 3 times. Those tubes are a gift from God. Tanner is now 5 and we have grown out of ear infections, but seem to have a lot of allergy and sinus infections. Oh yea another thing to have evaluated in the first couple of years of life is his neck. Because children with downs have pour musle tone, the neck can be slightly unstable to very unstable. Tanner's is slightly unstable and he can't play football, or ride rollercoasters, or ride a horse by himself, things that he could get whiplash from easily. All of those things really doesn't slow him down any though.
Congratulations again, if you have anyother specific questions I'll try to answer them for you.
Robin