Pediatric Down Syndrome Clinics in Minnesota

DSAMn collaborates with healthcare providers to expand and enhance comprehensive care for individuals with Down syndrome. DSAMn partners with and staffs pediatric clinics in all three major pediatric medical systems.

• Children's Minnesota Down Syndrome Clinic serves ages 0-21.
• Gillette Children's Down Syndrome Clinic serves ages 0-25+.
• M Health Fairview's Down Syndrome Clinic serves ages 0-18.

We've included more information about each clinic below, including locations, appointment dates, provider information, and how to make an appointment.

Is your loved one with Down syndrome older than 25? Call us. We know our work is not done. Individuals with Down syndrome are now living into their 60s and there are currently no clinics dedicated to serving adults over the age of 25 in Minnesota. Addressing this gap is our highest priority in 2025. We recognize the critical importance of providing lifelong, specialized care, and we are actively partnering with the Global Down Syndrome Foundation to find a sustainable solution.

For parents and caregivers of individuals 26 and older, we've included information below and a link to help us advocate and move this work forward. Our goal is to establish a comprehensive care model that supports individuals with Down syndrome throughout every stage of their lives, ensuring that quality healthcare is accessible well beyond childhood.

Sincerely,

Sarah Curfman
President & CEO
Down Syndrome Association of Minnesota
sarah@dsamn.org
612-237-1919

Gillette Children's Down Syndrome Clinic provides comprehensive, multidisciplinary care and support for individuals with Down syndrome from infancy through young adulthood (0-25+).

This clinic is the only one that has providers trained as Med-Peds, short for Medicine-Pediatrics, a medical specialty that combines training in both internal medicine and pediatrics allowing doctors to care for patients of all ages, from newborns to adults, with a focus on continuity of care throughout the lifespan.

As a collaborative partner in this work DSAMn staff will be onsite working alongside the medical providers and social workers. With DSAMn and Gillette experts in the same appointment, we’re enhancing our ability to offer the best possible care and connect families with valuable community resources.

Location: Gillette - Phalen Clinic located at 435 Phalen Boulevard, St. Paul, MN 55130 (Virtual Appts Available)

Days & Times: Fridays 8AM - 1PM

Providers: Dr. Tori Bahr (Med-Peds), NP Heidi Davis, Dr. Peter Ladner (Med-Peds), and Dr. Uyen Truong

Additional Staff: Kristine Herman, Care Coordinator

DSAMn Staff: Tracy Hafeman, Senior Director of Child & Family Programs; Luke Daily, Senior Director of Adult Programs; Sarah Curfman, President & CEO

What the Gillette Down Syndrome Clinic offers:

• Comprehensive Care: As a leader in genetic syndrome care, Gillette Children’s provides extensive medical, surgical, and rehabilitation services.
• Dedicated Support: A registered nurse care manager will coordinate all your child’s care needs and appointments.
• Community Connection: DSAMn is integrated into our clinic, attending appointments to help connect families with community resources.
• Quick Care Clinic: Available Monday to Friday for acute illnesses in established patients, staffed by pediatric complex care providers.
• Transition Support: We assist with the transition from pediatric to adult healthcare.
• In addition, the clinic can coordinate and connect with providers across Gillette to address common heath care concerns including:
• Hearing and Speech: Regular auditory exams and both in-person and virtual speech therapy.
• Sleep Apnea: Sleep studies and interventions like ENT evaluations, CPAP therapy, or Inspire devices.
• Joint Laxity and Hypotonia: Comprehensive care from our orthopedic, PMR, and neurosurgery teams for musculoskeletal and atlanto-axial concerns.
• Developmental Support: Early intervention programs and ongoing support for physical developmental challenges.

To make an appointment click here gillette.mn/appt or call 651-290-8707

The Children's Minnesota Down Syndrome Clinic provides comprehensive care for individuals with Down syndrome from infancy through young adulthood (0-21).

As a collaborative partner in this work DSAMn staff will be onsite working alongside the medical providers as part of the onsite visit.

This clinic offers multiple locations

Location: Children's Minnesota - Minnetonka Campus located at 6060 Clearwater Drive, Suite 220, Minnetonka, MN 55343

Day & Times: Third & Fourth Fridays 8AM - 4PM

Provider: Dr. Stella Evans

DSAMn Staff: Ashley Olthoff, Director of Family Connector Program; Kelly Fulton, Family Connector; Tene Campbell, Family Connector

Location: Children's Minnesota - St. Paul Ritchie Building located at 310 Smith Ave N, St Paul, MN 55102

Day & Times: Third Tuesday 8AM - 4PM

Provider: Dr. Stella Evans

DSAMn Staff: Ashley Olthoff, Director of Family Connector Program; Kelly Fulton, Family Connector

Location: Children's Minnesota - Woodbury located at 628 Bielenberg Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125

Day & Times: First and Second Mondays 8AM - 4PM

Provider: NP Kari Abraham

DSAMn Staff: Sarah Curfman, President & CEO

At Children’s Minnesota, we’re experts at treating issues that are more common in kids with this condition, including:

• Growth and nutrition: We help track your child’s growth, meet unique diet and nutritional needs and address feeding problems.
• Thyroid function: Testing and treatment for conditions in which the thyroid gland produces too much or too little thyroid hormone.
• Gastrointestinal issues: Management of constipation, diarrhea, acid reflux and food allergies.
• Vision and hearing: Regular screenings and treatment for eye and ear issues.
• Musculoskeletal development: We can address weak muscle tone and loose ligaments and promote healthy physical development.
• Sleep: Expert treatment for apnea (irregular breathing during sleep) as well as behavioral strategies to help your child settle in and sleep through the night.

To make an appointment at any of the locations, call 651-220-5230

The Down Syndrome Clinic at M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital cultivates the health and well-being from birth through young adulthood of children with Down syndrome. We provide outpatient visits for the child and family, including prenatal visits, with review of the recommended healthcare guidelines for children with Down syndrome, as they pertain to each child. At these visits, we assess and monitor for signs of medical complications encountered by individuals with Down syndrome.

As a collaborative partner in this work DSAMn staff will be onsite working alongside the medical providers as part of the onsite visit.

Where: M Health Fairview Pediatric Specialty Clinic located at 2450 Riverside Ave., East Building, 12th Floor, Minneapolis, MN 55454

When: First, Third and Fourth Tuesdays 11AM - 5PM

Provider: NP Sara Elsbecker

DSAMn Staff: Tracy Hafeman, Senior Director of Child and Family Programs; Sarah Curfman, President & CEO; Kelly Fulton, Family Connector

To make an appointment call 612-365-6777

What about adults over 25?

There is still much to do to establish a comprehensive care model that supports individuals with Down syndrome throughout every stage of their lives. Optimal prevention and causes of common diseases in adults with Down syndrome remain poorly understood; more preventive healthcare is needed to support healthy aging; and limited access to care, diagnostic overshadowing, and communication challenges can leave specific medical issues undetected.

DSAMn is committed to improving access to and quality of healthcare for adults. This is a priority for 2025 and beyond. We are working with Global Down Syndrome Foundation to approach Minnesota-based healthcare systems about the creation of an Adult Down Syndrome Clinic. To aid this work, we are collecting stories about healthcare experiences and gaps in care to support our work to establish an adult clinic. If you would like to share your story, please click HERE.

If you ever have questions, ideas, or concerns, please reach out.

Email: sarah@dsamn.org
Main Line: 651-603-0720
Mobile: 612-237-1919
For more info about the Down Syndrome Association of Minnesota, visit dsamn.org.