Global Down Syndrome Educational Series

 

Brian Chicoine presents his lecture at the Global Down Syndrome Educational Series

About the Global Down Syndrome Educational Series

The Global Down Syndrome Educational Series was launched in 2006 and brings nationally and internationally renowned Down syndrome experts to Colorado for two full days of lectures. The first day is designed for professionals who impact the lives of individuals who have Down syndrome, and the second is for parents and caregivers. Topics focus on accurate and updated medical, educational, and therapeutic best practices.

There are two driving forces behind the Global Down Syndrome Foundation’s Educational Series: (1) the desire to provide training to professionals since surveys show that many professionals (doctors, therapists and such) are not trained to provide the best care to a person with Down syndrome, and (2) the desire to provide parents and caregivers who are not able to attend the National Down Syndrome Congress Annual Convention, a taste of what it is like to have a renowned Down syndrome expert provide a full day of useful information and answer a multitude of questions.

To date, the Educational Series has educated roughly 3,400 people. More than 55 Spanish speakers have accessed the Foundation’s simultaneous translation services, and there have been more than 120 Christian Ransom Ball Scholarship Fund recipients.

Surveys of participants show a strong demand for more training that can lead to improved outcomes for individuals with Down syndrome. Below are the consolidated survey results on an ascending scale of 1 to 5 for the series held to date.

  Overall Rating Objectives Met Knowledge of Speaker Clarity of Presentation Q&A Recommend to others
Average Totals 4.55 4.49 4.82 4.62 4.27 93%

Committee
Members:

• Adam’s Camp

• Arc of Arapahoe & Douglas County

• Arc of Colorado

• Arc Thrift

• Colorado Springs Down Syndrome Association

• Colorado State University

• Denver Adult Down Syndrome Clinic

• Developmental Disabilities Resource Center

• Developmental Pathways

• El Grupo Vida

• Fisher Early Learning Center

• HighPointe Academy & Enterprises

• Imagine!

• IN!

• JFK Partners

• Mann Method Physical Therapy & Fitness

• Parent to Parent

• PEAK Parent

• Rise School of Denver

• Rocky Mountain Down Syndrome Association

• Rocky Mountain Human Services

• Sewall Child Development Center

• Strive

• THRIVE Center

Past presentations
and speakers:

Communication, Employment Skills and Post-Secondary Education for Adults with Down Syndrome
Libby Kumin, PhD, CCC-SLP, Professor of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, Loyola University

Promoting Healthy Lifestyles for Individuals with Down Syndrome
Joan Guthrie Medlen, MEd, RDN, LD

Mental and physical wellness for adolescents and adults with Down syndrome
Dennis McGuire, PhD, and Sarah Mann, PT, DPT

Best practices in medical care, therapeutic and educational interventions and resources
Dr. Fran Hickey and the Multi-disciplinary Team at the Sie Center for Down Syndrome

Maximizing speech and language skills in children and adults with Down syndrome
Libby Kumin, PhD, CCC-SLP, Professor of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, Loyola University

Educational tools and processes to support the success of individuals with Down syndrome
Patti McVay, BS, MA

Promoting mental wellness in teens and adults with Down syndrome
Brian Chicoine, MD, Medical Director, Adult Down Syndrome Clinic and
Dennis McGuire, PhD, Senior Social Worker, Adult Down Syndrome Clinic

Health-related issues for infants, toddlers, school age children & adolescents with Down syndrome
H. Len Leshin, MD, FAAP, Pediatrician, Corpus Christi, TX

Focusing on children with Down syndrome ages birth to 18
Jennifer Meyers Bekins, MS, CCC-SLP, Speech Language Pathologist, Jane and Richard Thomas Center for Down Syndrome, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center

Effective Teaching Methods for Children with Down Syndrome
Sue Buckley, OBE, Founder and Chief Scientist, Down Syndrome Education International, United Kingdom

Gross motor skill development and the five stages of development
Patricia C. Winders, Senior Physical Therapist, Anna and John J. Sie Center for Down Syndrome

Focuses on sharing success strategies for the differently-abled
William I. Cohen, MD, Former Director, Down Syndrome Center of Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
(Sadly, Dr. Cohen passed away unexpectedly in 2009)