Global Down Syndrome Educational Series Featured Speakers:
Brian Chicoine and Dennis McGuire

Promoting mental wellness in teens and adults with Down syndrome

Brian Chicoine, MD, Medical Director, Adult Down Syndrome Clinic, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, Park Ridge, IL
Dennis McGuire, PhD, Senior Social Worker, Adult Down Syndrome Clinic, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, Park Ridge, IL, November 2010

Brian Chicoine, co-founder and Medical Director at the Adult Down Syndrome Center of Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Ill. and Dennis McGuire, co-founder and Director of Psychological Services, teamed up to present at the November 2011 Global Down Syndrome Educational Series. The presentations provided a wealth of medical and psychological knowledge about adults with Down syndrome to professionals and families.

In addition to his duties at the Adult Down Syndrome Center, Dr. Chicoine serves as a faculty member of the Family Medicine Residency Program at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital. He graduated from Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine and completed his family medicine residency at Lutheran General Hospital. Dr. Chicoine has provided medical care for adults with developmental disabilities for more than 20 years, and has written extensively on caring for adults with Down syndrome.

Dr. McGuire is a Senior Social Worker with more than 30 years of experience with patients who are developmentally disabled. Dr. McGuire helped establish the Adult Down Syndrome Center, which has served the needs of more than 4,500 adults with Down syndrome since its inception in 1992. He received his MA degree from the University of Chicago and his PhD from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Dr. Chicoine and Dr. McGuire are co-authors of two milestone books, Mental Wellness of Adults with Down Syndrome and The Guide to Good Health for Teens and Adults with Down Syndrome.

View photos of this event

Testimonials for Dr. Chicoine’s and Dr. McGuire’s Educational Series Lectures:

“As soon as the two doctors started talking about kids with Down syndrome misbehaving suddenly, I identified my son. But it was when they reminded us that these kids are teens and they’re going to act up with hormones and everything else going on, then I could relate. It’s easy to forget that they’re going through what typical kids go through and it’s not just the Down syndrome!”

“I was really amazed to learn that the doctors actually go to their patients’ home or school to figure out what might be causing behavioral issues. I was equally shocked to learn that so many adults with Down syndrome go misdiagnosed and appreciated some of the info that will help us in making sure that doesn’t happen to our child (with Down syndrome).”

“I appreciated this session because we don’t get a lot of course work on Down syndrome and this will help me in my future work as a pediatrician.”

“I really thought this training would be boring and non-beneficial for me, but I’ve gained so much from this. Most of these things can benefit ALL of us, not just those with DS. I mean to take this info back to our school nurse group and highly recommend future presentations!”

Attendee survey results on a scale of 1 to 5

Professional Survey Overall Objectives Met Relevance Knowledge of Speaker Clarity of Presentation
Average Totals 4.60 4.56 4.17 4.95 4.71
Parent Survey Overall Objectives Met Relevance Knowledge of Speaker Clarity of Presentation
Average Totals 4.75 4.66 4.63 4.87 4.54