Welcome to LVPG Down Syndrome Medical Clinic

If you have a person with Down syndrome in your life, you can attest that their extra chromosome gives you more to love about them. However, this extra chromosome is also linked to an increased risk for health problems and delays.

“People with Down syndrome need and deserve a special kind of care and support, as do their families,” says Grant Greenberg, MD, Chair, Department of Family Medicine at Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN). “At the LVPG Down Syndrome Medical Clinic, we take a collaborative approach in our care for people with Down syndrome, while also diving into the concerns of the entire family to provide the Down syndrome community with the medical and emotional support they deserve.”

Founded by the Eastern Pennsylvania Down Syndrome Center (EPDSC) in 1999, the Down syndrome medical clinic began as a community resource aimed at caring for and educating children with Down syndrome and their families. Over the years, the clinic has grown tremendously in its reach and capabilities.

“A primary care visit doesn’t have the same level of resources available at the same time for this comprehensive care, which integrates social determinants, medical, cultural, behavioral and emotional aspects of well-being.” - Grant Greenberg, MD

Now part of LVHN, the LVPG Down Syndrome Medical Clinic operates collaboratively with the EPDSC as a source of education, support, guidance, advocacy and fundraising for the population it serves. Providing comprehensive, multidisciplinary and holistic care to people with Down syndrome and their families, the clinic expands access to specialized treatments and allows patients and families to receive world-class care from doctors and therapists they can trust.

“What started as a once-a-month operation has grown into an invaluable resource within our community,” says Donald Levick, MD, pediatrician with Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital, and Medical Director of the clinic. “Now providing six sessions a month, we are able to help even more people influenced by Down syndrome and their families, equipping them with the latest medical advancements and the extensive support they need and deserve.”

The clinic offers six sessions a month for children and adults. Visits are approximately 90-minutes in length, giving parents and families the opportunity to have all of their concerns addressed in a relaxed setting.

During these sessions, the clinic provides comprehensive medical services, including:

• Specialized medical assessments for infants, children, adolescents and adults
• Referrals to specialists who have an interest in meeting the needs of people with Down syndrome
• Developmental screenings by our therapists
• Collaboration between our medical staff and the patient’s primary care physician
• Support from a Family Support Coordinator, a parent advocate of a child with Down syndrome
• Follow-up care

The clinic also addresses psychosocial, emotional and long-term care matters, such as:

• Behavioral and feeding concerns
• School issues (e.g., aiding with creating an individualized education program, connecting parents to advocacy groups)
• Program development to educate families and build awareness about Down syndrome

After visiting our clinic, patients and their primary care physician will receive a detailed summary and recommendations.

“A primary care visit doesn’t have the same level of resources available at the same time for this comprehensive care, which integrates social determinants, medical, cultural, behavioral and emotional aspects of well-being,” says Dr. Greenberg.