Down Syndrome Program at Boston Children's Hospital

07/23/2025

Our team is so excited to be packing up and heading to Dallas for the Down Syndrome Medical Interest Group - USA Annual Symposium and the Down Syndrome Congress Annual Convention! Let us know if you are attending!

07/17/2025

Congratulations, Alina, on graduating from the B*H DSP baby clinic! You rock! 🌈

07/14/2025

Finnegan recently celebrated his 1st birthday with us by participating in the Birthday Study🎂🥳🎉! If you have a baby with Down syndrome and are interested in hearing more about this opportunity please email us at downsyndrome.research@childrens.harvard.edu

07/09/2025

Check out this educational leadership opportunity!

The Federation is launching a brand new program, designed to strengthen your skills, network, and impact as an emerging leader. The Barbara Popper Family Leadership Institute is focused on changing systems and changing lives!

Apply now for the chance to join our first cohort and gain hands-on experience developing systems-level advocacy.

Learn more and apply at: http://fcsn.org/changemakers?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign&utm_content=ap_woo2zcsxy8

07/08/2025

Nate is hard at work re-stocking Mae’s Market before clinic! At your next visit to the DSP, be sure to check out these new titles, including “Different, A Great Thing to Be,” “The Polka-Dotted Penguin,” and “Hannah’s Down Syndrome Super Powers.” We also have new reading books in Spanish, Portuguese, and Haitian Creole! 📕

07/04/2025

We wish everyone a happy and safe 4th of July!

07/03/2025

Have you heard about this free webinar? Such an important topic!

Join us on Thursday, July 10 from 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM EST for this FREE Ages & Stages webinar - Social Boundaries & the Circles Curriculum: A Practical Guide for Learners with Down Syndrome hosted by Dana Halle.

Understanding relationships doesn’t have to be complicated. In this session, we’ll walk through a simplified, visually-supported version of the Circles Curriculum—designed specifically for learners with Down syndrome. You’ll learn how to use the “3 Ts” (Talk, Trust, and Touch), explore the Six Deciding Factors, and gain tools to help your learner confidently navigate friendships, acquaintances, and everything in between.

Sign up now! - https://bit.ly/NDSCWebinars

07/03/2025

Officially a big kid! Congratulations, Isaiah, we know you’ll be a star at school! 🌟

07/02/2025

Our team is growing! We recently welcomed our new DSP Research Assistant, Elizabeth:

My name is Elizabeth Kolln, and I recently started working as a Clinical Research Assistant in the Down Syndrome Program. My main job is to help with the CAPE and Birthday studies, but eventually I will also create my own research project related to Down syndrome as part of the B*H Research Scholars Program. Before coming to B*H, I went to Wellesley College and spent my summers working at an overnight summer camp.

07/01/2025

Cool volunteer opportunity for young children (12 years old and younger, preferably under 5) and their families to help Simmons University PT students learn about working with children with DS! See below for more information from DSP PT, Jenna.

———————

Hi everyone

I hope you're all doing well and staying cool! For those of you that I don't know, my name is Jenna Gondelman and I am one of the physical therapists that works in the Down Syndrome Program at B*H along with Beth O’Toole.

One of our other responsibilities through our job here is to collaborate with the physical therapy department at Simmons University, providing education to students on Down syndrome. As part of that role, I provide a lecture to the students on working with children with Down syndrome and for the past many years, we have had a few families come in for a lab session as well. This provides a wonderful opportunity for the students to learn about working and engaging with children with Down syndrome and their families. We are thrilled to be able to have families come in person again this year and would love if a few of you would be able and willing to join us.

The lab is scheduled for the morning of Thursday July 10th from about 10:30-12:00. The students have class earlier that morning during which I will be giving the lecture, so if you arrive a few minutes early we will all be there. The campus is located off Avenue Louis Pasteur (right near the main B*H campus) and there is free parking provided.

I'm hoping to have anywhere from 2-4 children with one or more parents come into our class. The more children we have, the smaller the groups of students will be. Each group will also have an instructor (either Beth or myself, or another PT from B*H who will be present). The students will plan to ask you questions about your child’s medical and developmental history and then perform a brief assessment.

If you are willing and able to participate, please let me know by Tuesday July 8th so that we can formalize the plan and give you all the additional information that you need. I know this is short notice and I appreciate everyone's consideration. My email address is jenna.gondelman@childrens.harvard.edu if you are able and willing to participate.

We look forward to hearing from you and would be so grateful to have some of you participate! We always receive excellent feedback from the students about how much they enjoy the experience and appreciate everyone’s openness to helping them learn.

Thanks to everyone for considering this and feel free to reach out if you have any questions!

Best,
Jenna

06/27/2025

Meet Selena!! She is one of our first participants to enter the open label part of our DS and ADHD clinical trial!! Woohoo!! If you’re interested in starting/trialing an ADHD medication and would like to learn more please feel free to reach out to us at downsyndrome.research@childrens.harvard.edu