Division of Developmental Medicine

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Study

Participants: Current patients in the BCH Down Syndrome Program, ages 3-18

Obstructive sleep apnea or OSA is highly prevalent in children and young adults with Down syndrome. Defined as the partial or complete blockage of airflow while sleeping, OSA is associated with a wide range of medical complications, if left untreated. The current method for diagnosing OSA is an overnight sleep study, called a polysomnogram. While noninvasive and highly accurate, sleep studies can be uncomfortable, costly, and inconvenient for both the patient and their family. We would like to change that. So, we are conducting a study to help develop a screening tool that is comfortable, practical, and most importantly, effective for diagnosing OSA in individuals with Down syndrome. As part of the study, all participants will be evaluated for OSA. If you, or someone you know would be interested in learning more, please contact Lauren Voelz  for more information.

Longitudinal Down Syndrome Study

Participants: All current patients in the BCH Down Syndrome Program

Down Syndrome Program patients at Boston Children's Hospital are invited to participate in a project to build a national registry to track the health and medical history of people with Down syndrome across their lives.  Health information will be collected from existing and future medical records, so there are no extra study visits or procedures.  This Longitudinal Down Syndrome Study (LDSS) is taking place at Boston Children's Hospital, as well as other centers specializing in Down syndrome clinical care and research.  For more information, please contact Lauren Voelz.