Common Questions about the Down Syndrome Clinic

We are a referral clinic that provides comprehensive medical and professional services to your child with Down syndrome by:

• Helping you acquiring specialized and personal care
• Providing you with current information on health related services
• Referring your family to resources in your community and their region
• Educating communities about the strengths and abilities of children with Down syndrome

Our clinic includes a team of experts from many specialties who have extensive experience treating children with Down syndrome. At the first visit, your child will likely meet with a Down syndrome physician or nurse practitioner, nutritionist, speech/feeding specialist, physical therapist and occupational therapist.

After the initial visit, your child may be referred to other specialists, including those in Ophthalmology, Otolaryngology, Neurology, Hematology/Oncology, Orthopaedics, Cardiology, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, and Pulmonary Medicine. We can also help connect you with needed services of social work, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, nutrition counseling, educational/behavioral counseling and audiology.

Our Pediatric Otolaryngology and Sleep Medicine teams see patients with Down syndrome who have sleep difficulties in our Complex Obstructive Sleep Apnea Clinic. Your child will need a  referral from their doctor for this clinic.

If your child has sleep apnea and is can't tolerate CPAP, an FDA-approved hypoglossal nerve stimulation device (commonly known as the Inspire therapy) may be a good fit. This device has three parts that are surgically implanted in the neck and chest to help keep the airway open during sleep. You can help your child turn this device on before sleep each night. The painless stimulation it provides helps prevent the problems that sleep apnea causes.

Speak with your primary care doctor for a referral to our clinic. Call (615) 343-3696 (DOWN) or (800) 866-3696 (DOWN) to schedule an appointment.

We see patients every Thursday and Friday at the Pediatric Developmental Medicine Clinic at 2416 21st Ave South in Nashville.

Close communication with your child's primary care provider will help us make sure your child gets the best care to meet their needs. Before your appointment, we will ask your doctor for their specific concerns about your child. After each appointment we will send a summary letter to you and your doctor explaining what we discussed during your appointment and what we think would be the best plan of care for your child.

We require a referral from your child's primary care physician for insurance to cover appointments. If your insurance requires a co-payment, you will need to pay it for each physician or therapist seen. Most children meet with multiple providers during the first visit. If Vanderbilt is out of your insurance network, you will need an out-of-network referral.

Your child’s appointment with the Down Syndrome Clinic may be covered, depending on your insurance plan. It is important for us to receive the necessary referrals from your primary care doctor and authorizations from your insurance before your appointment. We can help you with this process at the time your appointment is made.

Plan to be at the clinic for at least four hours if you are scheduled to meet with all the professionals available (pediatrician, cardiologist, genetic counselor and therapists.).