Congratulations on your pregnancy!
We understand that you may have questions about what it will mean for you and your family to raise a child with Down syndrome or another intellectual disability. Most importantly, your baby will have needs similar to other newborns, and will need your love and care just like any other baby.
Our Support Services team are always available to connect if you would like to talk through your questions, or process the many emotions you may be feeling. DSQ also have trained parent volunteers called Peer Supporters, as well as Peer Leaders (adults with Down syndrome) who you can be linked with if you would like to hear more from an ‘everyday lived experience’ perspective.
We run a Facebook closed group which is open to Queensland parents or carers of children with intellectual disabilities. The Down Syndrome Queensland Support Group is specifically created to encourage peer support, information sharing and to empower families and to create positive expectations of our children and adults.
There are many resources that you may find helpful in the coming months, as you prepare for your baby’s arrival. You can find these in the Resource Hub of our website.
In partnership with the University of Queensland, a survey of healthcare professionals was conducted across Australia to better understand the clinician’s experience of explaining prenatal screening and delivering genetic syndrome diagnoses. This research will be used to improve the parental experience and to inform further resource development.
You can read the report here: Clinicians’ Experiences of Explaining Prenatal Screening and Delivering Genetic Syndrome Diagnose
Click here for prenatal and expectant parent support:
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