Health Care Guidelines

Health Care Guidelines User-Friendly Chart

Growth charts for children with Down syndrome in the United States are available for download below. These charts can help health care providers monitor growth among children with Down syndrome and assess how well a child with Down syndrome is growing when compared to peers with Down syndrome.  

As of Oct. 30, 2015, researchers have developed new growth charts for children with Down syndrome to replace charts dating back to 1988. Since the charts were first released, weight gain for children under 3 years has improved, and height for males ages 2-18 years has increased, according to a new report. “Clinicians will find the charts extremely useful for monitoring trends in weight and height,” said Dr. Bull, a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Council on Children with Disabilities. “Any child found longitudinally who crosses percentiles warrants careful assessment.”

Here are some articles you might be interested in reading:

Breastfeeding and Down Syndrome
Julia’s Way is a 501c3 whose breastfeeding project focuses on inspiring and encouraging mothers of children with Down syndrome to breastfeed their babies, as well as on educating medical professionals on how to support mothers to help their babies breastfeed successfully.   

Julia’s Way partnered with Down Syndrome Pregnancy to distribute their book “Breastfeeding & Down Syndrome: a Comprehensive Guide for Mothers and Medical Professionals.” This book is the first of its kind and provides comprehensive, evidence-based information for both mothers and medical professionals. The book is written in an easy-to-read style by medical experts and addresses everything from how to prepare prenatally to breastfeeding after heart surgery to how to transition a baby from tube feeds to the breast. 

Because Julia’s Way has a deep commitment to helping mothers breastfeed their babies with Down syndrome, their book is available as a FREE DOWNLOAD. Proceeds from any print copies go directly to Julia’s Way to help continue their work supporting mothers who want to breastfeed their babies with Down syndrome.




Julia’s Way also has a list of other breastfeeding resources available online:

People First Language

What is Person/People First Language? How do I refer to someone who has Down syndrome? 

People First Language was developed to respectfully speak about people with disabilities. The number one focus of PFL is putting the person before his/her disability because the disability is only a small part of the whole person. PFL highlights a person’s strengths, abilities, and potential to succeed instead of labeling the individual or confining the person to an established stereotype.

Remember: concentrate on the person, not the disability! We say “a person with Down syndrome” – not a Down’s person.

To ensure inclusion, freedom, and respect for all, it's time to embrace People First Language.

More Resources

growth charts

breastfeeding