Health professionals
Maternity Hospitals
At the birth of a baby with Down syndrome, please contact our Family Support Team to arrange for an information pack and/or a support visit for the family. All Victorian hospitals should have on hand a current 'Hospital version' of the Down Syndrome Victoria's New Parent Information Pack. This pack can be shown to families at the birth of their baby whilst they await their own pack. If you do not have one or your pack needs updating please contact Family Support - Phone: 9486 9600 ext: 208.
To best support the new family and to help make their stay in your hospital a positive experience you may like to consider referring to a health practitioner's guide by the National Down Syndrome Congress. The guide contains information concerning how to tell families that their baby has or may have Down syndrome.
We have recently conducted an 'Experiences of Diagnosis and Birth' survey of families with children aged between 0 and 5 years. The survey results help inform best practice procedures when sharing the news.
New Parent Information packs are provided to individual families when they contact Down Syndrome Victoria and in most cases will be hand delivered to the family by our Family Support Manager.
- Hospital copies of the New Parent pack are available free for Maternity Hospitals or $15 for anyone else. This pack can be shown to families while they await their own copy.
For further information or to refer a family please email the Family Support Manager or phone 1300 658 873.
Heath Checks
Recomended health checks and fact sheets - Centre for Developmental Disability Health Victoria's (CDDHV) -
Down syndrome fact sheets (Neonatal to Adulthood).