Down Syndrome: A Day to Day Guide: Baby

I'm so glad you made it here! This is a great time to have a healthy, happy baby with T21. Your baby's future has never looked better (and is looking better every day). I would love to tell you that you can find a physician who will know exactly what to do to best care for your baby. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Although your physician may not yet know the best way to treat many aspects of your baby's development, which I understand is a scary thought, rest assured that I will share with you what is working for my son, Jett. And I will help you get in touch with experienced moms, clue you in to great resources and keep you abreast of the most recent research and brainstorming about Down syndrome. You are not alone. You have all the resources you need to be a successful parent. You will be empowered to give your baby the best possible future with the best possible treatment. Your baby's future is in good hands -- yours!

I know it takes a while to come to terms with your emotions. It's okay to cry, to be angry, to blame yourself and others. Please accept all of these feelings as a normal, healthy reaction to disturbing news. This is an uncertain time for you, full of the unknown. Allow yourself to grieve and vent and ride out the emotional roller coaster. Talk to friends and family (but keep in mind they understandably have the old stereotype in their mind). Write in a journal. You don't have to share it, you don't have to read it ever again. In fact, you can even rip out the pages and throw them away. But, do acknowledge your feelings and express them so that you can move forward.

It's natural to feel overwhelmed.... There's a lot of information here. You can't learn all of this in one day (or month or year...)! I'm hoping to save parents the time and anguish of sorting through all the information that's out there on T21. I want to allow you to spend quality time enjoying and nurturing your child rather than spending the time that I already have going through piles of research. I am open minded and update blog posts according to my latest findings, but I do have specific beliefs about what works best and what doesn't and I only share what I either endorse or am still open to and researching. Feel free to share your experiences, questions and solutions you may have privately (click my profile for my email address) or as a comment for all to see.

You have some time! Please do not feel that you have to give your sweet little one with his/her delicate tummy lots of vitamins and supplements right away! My Jett couldn't tolerate anything other than breast milk for the first four months and he's turning out very well. Some babies can take a vitamin from day one and some babies can't tolerate anything until 6 months old. All is not lost! It's most important that you attend to his/her basic baby needs (see Feeding & Early Care) plus extra stimulation (see Early Therapy). Your love and attention is what he needs most during these precious first years!

Keep up-to-date by subscribing in a reader to this blog or sign up to get each new post automatically sent to you by entering your email address in the "Follow by Email" box on the right of your screen. I'd love to know that you are actively reading by adding yourself as a "follower." It's a small way to let me know you are listening! You can friend me on Facebook as well.

Also read New? Start Here to learn more about my philosophy and for updates on Jett's wonderful progress.

Where to Start

Find A Quality Physician
Gett Organized with a Medical Notebook
Check out this list of the Best Resources for Guidance on Down Syndrome
Which Lab Tests to Request, What they Mean and How to Get a Good Blood Draw
Create a toxic free environment to give your baby the best possible start.
Learn about and find an QRI Cold Laser specialist, the sooner, the better. (Better yet, get your own laser so you don't have to travel and continuously pay a specialist.) Helps with gross/fine motor, cognition, sleep, potty training, social skills, etc.
Learn about and Find a Neurodevelopmental therapist for an overall plan.
Learn about and find an ABM therapist for extra gross motor support.

Breastfeeding Mom's Nutritional Support

Prenatal Supplementation for Moms with a Baby with DS

Healthy Meal Planning Blogs

Six Foods that are Surprisingly High in Toxins

High Fructose Corn Syrup Is a Major Cause of Dementia

Why Fermented Cod Liver Oil is Helpful

Why Coconut Oil is Beneficial and Recipes

Reasons to Avoid Processed Meats

Feeding & Early Care

Moms, caring for your sweet one will be your number one priority. These posts will help address some common questions and concerns.

Breastfeeding

How to Bottle Feed & Nontoxic Bottles

Baby Food & Formula Contain Arsenic, Toxic Metals

Healthy Alternative to Conventional Infant Formula
From the Einstein-syndrome website: Feeding an Infant with Trisomy 21

Why a Sippy Cup isn't recommended a blog post from speech learning pathologist, Sara Rosenfeld Johnson
Keeping Nasal Passages Clear & Mouths Closed

Immunizations

This is an important issue for our babies with DS. You need to be aware of how immunizations can directly and permanently effect your baby.
Please take the time to see this easy to understand video on Vaccines and Down Syndrome.

First Foods: How & What & When to Introduce

First Foods: GAPS Introducing Solids

First Foods: Root/Leaf Vegetables

Constipation: Causes and Cures

Achieving Iron Balance with Diet
Whole Grains Reduce Mineral Absorption
Foods that Fight Alzheimer's Disease

Nutritional Supplementation (Targeted Nutritional Intervention)

Which Multivitamin?

Signs of Nutritional Deficiency

How Much Vitamin D3?

Heal the Gut, Heal the Child

Fermented Cod Liver Oil

Coconut Oil Info and Recipes

Fats & Oils

Folic Acid Cuts Alzheimer’s Risk in Half

Coenzyme Q10
Why supplement and monitor zinc?

The Importance of Magnesium

Early Therapy

You want to start at-home therapy as soon as possible instead of/in addition to outside therapy. It's an easy fun way to bond with your baby while providing much needed stimulation. The work you do now will prevent many problems from ever arising in the future.

Learn about and find an MNRI therapist, the sooner, the better.
Learn about and Find a Neurodevelopmental therapist for an overall plan.

Low Muscle Tone: What to Do

Massage Your Baby

Mobiles for Stimulation

Oral Motor Therapy from the Bits of Real Life Blog

Deep Pressure Tactile Therapy

Tummy Time
Learn about and find an ABM therapist for gross motor answers.

Teaching Your Baby to Crawl

Crawling: More Important than Sitting or Standing!

Toys that Support Crawling

Getting Your Baby to Communicate: Early Tips for Better Speech
My Strategy for Good Behavior

Milestones: Sitting

Milestones: Standing

Toys that Encourage Fine Motor Skills

Promote Walking: Are Treadmills Good?

It's Potty Time!

How to Spoon Feed

Teach Your Baby to Self Feed

Early Educational Support

The more you do now, that more time your baby has to learn and develop his mind.

Books to Read to Your Baby

Learn about and Find a Neurodevelopmental therapist for an overall plan, including early educational ideas.

Teaching Your Baby to Read

Getting Your Baby to Communicate

BrillKids is offering discounts for Special Needs

Educational Media Reviews

Teach Your Baby Math

Teaching the Alphabet

Medical Aspects of DS

Lab Tests: Which to Request, What they Mean and How to Get a Good Blood Draw

Thyroid & DS Go Hand in Hand

The Heart & Down Syndrome

Preparing for Heart Surgery/Hospital Stay

Medications: Alternatives & What to Avoid
Cerebral folate deficiency in Down syndrome

Reflux: Treating the Problem Not the Symptoms

Reflux in Down syndrome

Signs of Nutritional Deficiency

Alzheimer's Disease & DS: Connection and Treatment

Celiac Disease & Down Syndrome

Anemia Causes & Cures

Cystic Fibrosis of Pancreas and Down's Syndrome

Pulmonary Hypertension: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis

Hashimoto's Encephalopathy Mimics Alzheimer's Disease

Treatment for Brain Health

We all want a cure for DS. These posts explain the latest treatment plans/biomedical intervention (usually don't start directly in the child until 3-6 months of age depending on your baby's digestion). I have many posts exploring brain support, but as a new parent, it's best to stick with researching proven treatments that offer a lot of guidance. Our children may all share an extra chromosome, but since every child is different; it's important to follow your child's cues & clues.

Overview

Cure for Down Syndrome?

How to Create Your Own Supplement Strategy

Details

Cerebral folate deficiency in Down syndrome

EGCG Green Tea Extract For Memory

Longvida Curcumin
Why supplement and monitor zinc?

Alzheimer's Disease & DS: Connection and Treatments

Why Rhodiola Rosea?

Fermented Cod Liver Oil

Coconut Oil Info and Recipes

Fats & Oils

Natural Ways to Help with ADD & Hyperactivity

The Importance of Magnesium

Acetyl -L Carnitine (ALC)

Piracetam

L-tyrosine: Building Block for Neurochemicals

Coenzyme Q10

Phosphatidylserine

Vinpocetine

DMAE (Dimethylaminoethanol)

Bacopa Monera Extract (BME)

Ginseng: Benefits to the Brain

Wild Blueberry Extract

Glutathione
Glyconutrients
Piracetam
Methylation Pathways

CMF Protocol: Prozac
Feed Memory by Kan Herbs

This post will lead you to a whole mind set in caring for your child.

15 Things A New Parent Should Know

Success Stories

Wondering how well treated kids are doing? Take a look for yourself.

20 year old Nathan Purdy Speaking He's been supplemented for many years and his awesome mom worked extensively with him. A delightful young man!
Emmanuel Bishop playing the Bach Minuet on violin at age 14. I know he's on a multivitamin, not sure what else, but his Dad is an advocate and avid researcher. Emmanuel is also a great swimmer, golfer, is bilingual and does speaking engagements.
Meet 10 year old Lydia Supplemented and was on neurodevelopment program, both at early ages.
Gryffin & Lucas
Lucas and his inventors
Lucas en espanol Speaking Spanish at 4 years old. Supplemented and on neurodevelopment program with mom as OT.
Teyjas, 4 years old, recites the alphabet backwards. He was only taught it forwards.
4-year-old Jett speed reading. "An Alphabet of Dinosaurs". Started neurodevelopmental therapy since around birth and TNI at 3.5 months old.

Laura's "K" Reading Ages 2-4 She's been on a neurodevelopment program early with a healthy, organic diet and started TNI at age 3.
Six year old Mac reading
Jett at 19 months reading 9 words in 1 minute 40 seconds.
Video of Jett sight reading at 18 months old.
Jett Pretending to Read at 16 Months Started neurodevelopmental therapy since around birth and TNI at 3.5 months old.
Sleep Study: The Results