Down Syndrome: Referral Directory
Physician Contacts
Mary Esther Carlin, M.D.Key Contacts
Joanna Spahis, MSN, RN - Clinical nurse specialist
Gail Brookshire, MS, CGC - Genetic counseling
Debbie Clark, LMSW-ACP - Psycosocial support
Christine Quinn, MS, CGC- Genetic Counseling
Joanna Spahis, MSN, RN - Clinical nurse specialist
Donnice Michel, MS, CGC- Genetic Counseling
Description of services:
Comprehensive care for children with Down syndrome and their families including:
- Medical management
- Genetic counseling
- Speech and oral motor developmental evaluation and recommendations
- Physical development evaluation and recommendations
- Psychosocial support
- Screening and referral for behavioral or psychiatric problems
- Referral to community agencies for educational intervention or therapies
Information for referral sources:
- Self-referral or healthcare professional referral accepted.
- Pre-authorization is required by some insurance plans.
- Services are provided in close cooperation with the patient's referring physician.
- A summary of the clinic visit with recommendations and test results is provided promptly to both the family and the referring physician.
Please provide the following when calling to schedule a patient for a diagnostic examination:
- Patient name and date of birth
- Address and phone number
- Names of parents (including mother's maiden name)
- Preferred language spoken
- Insurance/referral information
Appointment Notes
- To avoid unnecessary testing, have the family bring relevant medical records results, including the chromosome and X-rays to the appointment. The physician hospital may also FAX these records.
- For each patient to be seen by every team member, a typical clinic visit will last 2 to 3 hours.
Why Children's Medical Center?
- Children’s provides multidisciplinary care in a single visit for children with Down syndrome.
- The team of professionals has more than 50 collective years of experience in caring for children with Down syndrome.
- The clinic provides psychosocial support for parents and siblings.
- Families network with other families affected by Down syndrome.
- The team advocates for appropriate educational and community resources for children who have Down syndrome.
