New & Expectant Parents

Down Syndrome Association of Central Ohio / Individuals / New & Expectant Parents

Support from the Start

DSACO is here for new and expectant parents whose child has received a Down syndrome diagnosis. We want to help ease the stress for your growing family and offer valuable support, resources, and information to set you and your child on a path to opportunity and success.

Through DSACO, new parents receiving a prenatal or postnatal diagnosis will have the opportunity to:

  • Connect with a trained parent mentor
  • Receive support and guidance during the first year following birth
  • Receive accurate and up-to-date information
  • Connect with a licensed professional who can guide you through this journey

New Parent
Welcome Packages

DSACO’s New Parent Welcome Packages are sent as outreach to new families in Central Ohio whose baby has received a Down syndrome diagnosis. The packages include gifts such as books, onesies, toys, blankets, and gift cards — all things that celebrate having a baby! We also include information about Down syndrome and how DSACO can be a valuable resource. Are you or is someone you know interested in receiving a New Parent Welcome Package?

First Connect Parent Mentor Program

DSACO offers new and expectant parents of babies with Down syndrome the opportunity to connect with trained parent mentors who share the same or similar life circumstances. New parents receiving a prenatal or postnatal diagnosis will have the opportunity to:

  • Connect with a trained parent mentor
  • Receive support and guidance during the first year following birth
  • Receive accurate and up-to-date information

Our First Connect Parent Mentors:

  • Are trained volunteers available to listen, share resources, and provide valuable, current information
  • Have a child with Down syndrome who is a least 2 years old
  • Will commit to one year of service to a new parent

New Parent Counseling Program

DSACO is offering couples counseling to parents whose child with Down syndrome is less than one year old (or expectant parents), to help you adjust to your child’s diagnosis and work through those early emotions. Having an unexpected diagnosis can bring along many different emotions, and we are here to help you get connected with a licensed professional who can guide you through this journey. If you feel this may be beneficial to you and your partner, please contact Courtney Frost at cfrost@dsaco.net.

Down Syndrome
for New Parents

What will the first year of life be like for a baby with Down syndrome? What kind of support and care do they need? What is it like being a sibling of a child with Down syndrome? Brian Skotko, M.D, M.P.P., Medical Geneticist and Emma Campbell Endowed Chair on Down Syndrome at MassGeneral Hospital for Children, explains what parents can expect during the first year of raising a child with Down syndrome, including information on breastfeeding, necessary testing, and more.

Resource Groups

Little Buddies Parent Resource Group

Little Buddies Parent Resource Group is a monthly group for expecting and new parents or families of children with Down syndrome (preschool age or younger) in the Central Ohio area. We offer support and information for families prenatally through preschool. This group meets monthly in two convenient locations, Pickerington and Worthington.

Little Buddies Southeast:

Thursday, March 19

6:30 – 8 PM

The Chapel at Grace Fellowship

575 Diley Rd. | Pickerington

Learn about Myofunctional Therapy!

We are excited to be joined by Amy Gray-Szana, RDH from Central Ohio MYO to share about myofunctional therapy and how it can be a benefit for kids with Down syndrome. This gentle exercise-based approach helps retrain the muscles of the mouth, tongue, and face to work the way they’re meant to. This helps to addresses Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMDs), such as mouth breathing, improper oral rest posture and dysfunctional swallowing patterns.

Dinner and child care will be provided.

Contacts for Little Buddies Southeast:

 

Little Buddies North:

Monday, March 16

6:30 – 8 PM

All Saints Lutheran Church

6770 N. High St. | Worthington

Learn about Myofunctional Therapy!

We are excited to be joined by Amy Gray-Szana, RDH from Central Ohio MYO to share about myofunctional therapy and how it can be a benefit for kids with Down syndrome. This gentle exercise-based approach helps retrain the muscles of the mouth, tongue, and face to work the way they’re meant to. This helps to addresses Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMDs), such as mouth breathing, improper oral rest posture and dysfunctional swallowing patterns.

Dinner and child care will be provided.

Contacts for Little Buddies North:

M.O.M.S.

Join DSACO moms for a relaxing night out where they will share stories, needs, concerns, and ideas. Locations vary. Check our events tab or email a group contact for details. Additionally, you can join the M.O.M.S. Facebook Group, a supporting and positive community for sharing information and experiences while being inspired and uplifted. To find a M.O.M.S. night near you, please visit our Event Calendar.

D.A.D.S.

Dads get a chance to get to know each other while learning more in a social setting. The group’s mission is to assist and support, through fellowship and action, the fathers and families of people with Down syndrome. To see details about the next D.A.D.S. meet up, please visit our Events Calendar. 

Contact:
Brian Stumpo, bstumpo@columbus.rr.com

Little Buddies Parent Resource Group Facebook Page

A private Facebook group for expectant moms and DSACO families who have a child with Down syndrome preschool age or younger. This page allows families to have the opportunity to share stories, needs, concerns, and ideas. You must be approved by an administrator to join this group.  Join Us

DSACO Lending Library Group

Do you have Down syndrome-related books, toys, equipment, therapy items, or more that you would like to pass on? Consider sharing them for other DSACO families to use. Let’s reduce/reuse/recycle within our own DS community!  Join Us

Support a Lifetime of Opportunities