Mainstream and special school attendance among a Dutch cohort of children with Down Syndrome.

Object: To determine the level of mainstream education in a nationwide cohort of adolescents with Down Syndrome (DS), and to find characteristics related to mainstream or special school attendance.

Method: Dutch children with DS born in 1992, 1993 or 1994, were assessed when 16-19 years old. Parents scored school enrolment between the age of 4-18 years, general characteristics and the levels of intellectual disability using the Dutch Social Competence Rating Scale.

Practical and social skills of 16-19-year-olds with Down syndrome: independence still far away.

Survival of children with Down syndrome (DS) has improved considerably, but insight into their level of daily functioning upon entering adulthood is lacking. We collected cross-sectional data from a Dutch nationwide cohort of 322 DS adolescents aged 16-19 (response 62.8%) to assess the degree to which they master various practical and social skills, using the Dutch Social competence rating scale and the Children's Social Behavior Questionnaire.

Problem behavior of individuals with Down syndrome in a nationwide cohort assessed in late adolescence.

Objective: To assess problem behavior in adolescents with Down syndrome and examine the association with sex and severity of intellectual disability.

Study Design: Cross-sectional data of a Dutch nationwide cohort of Down syndrome children aged 16-19 years were collected using a written parental questionnaire. Problem behavior was measured using the Child Behavior Checklist and compared with normative data.

Management of undescended testis: a decision analysis.

Background: Undescended testis (UDT) or cryptorchidism is the most common genital anomaly seen in boys and can be treated surgically by orchidopexy. The age at which orchidopexy should be performed is controversial for both congenital and acquired UDT.

Methods: A decision analysis is performed in which all available knowledge is combined to assess the outcomes of orchidopexy at different ages.

[Youth Healthcare guideline 'Skin disorders'].

There is a high incidence of skin disorders; these are also frequently encountered within Youth Healthcare (YHC). Some skin disorders are caused by an underlying disease, syndrome or child abuse. Therefore, detection of these causes in an early stage is important.

Prevalence of overweight in Dutch children with Down syndrome.

Objective: Prevalence of overweight in children is increasing, causing various health problems. This study aims to establish growth references for weight and to assess the prevalence rates of overweight and obesity in a nationwide sample of Dutch children with Down syndrome (DS), taking into account the influence of comorbidity.

Methods: In 2009, longitudinal growth data from Dutch children with trisomy 21 who were born after 1982 were retrospectively collected from medical records of 25 Dutch regional specialized DS centers.

Unchanged prevalence of Down syndrome in the Netherlands: results from an 11-year nationwide birth cohort.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate trends in prevalence of Down syndrome (DS) births in the Netherlands over an 11-year period and how they have been affected by maternal age and introduction of prenatal screening.

Method: Nationwide data of an 11-year birth cohort (1997-2007) from the Netherlands Perinatal Registry were analyzed. First-trimester combined screening was introduced in 2002, free of charge only for women 36 years of age or older and only on patients' request.

Healthy growth in children with Down syndrome.

Objective: To provide cross-sectional height and head circumference (HC) references for healthy Dutch children with Down syndrome (DS), while considering the influence of concomitant disorders on their growth, and to compare growth between children with DS and children from the general population.

Study Design: Longitudinal growth and medical data were retrospectively collected from medical records in 25 of the 30 regional hospital-based outpatient clinics for children with DS in The Netherlands. Children with Trisomy 21 karyotype of Dutch descent born after 1982 were included.

Development, problem behavior, and quality of life in a population based sample of eight-year-old children with Down syndrome.

Objective: Children with Down syndrome (DS) have delayed psychomotor development. We investigated levels of development, problem behavior, and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) in a population sample of Dutch eight-year-old children with DS. Developmental outcomes were compared with normative data of eight-year-old children from the general population.