I was wondering if any of you have any experience with newborns with Downs Syndrome??? My niece had a baby a few days ago, she was term, and the baby was having some difficulty breathing while eating so they put her in the NICU. They also mentioned that there was a gap between her big toe and second toe on both feet that was abnormal. All the tests they have run have come back normal, and there are no other physical abnormalities. They are doing a chromosome test, but we will not know the results for another week or so. The baby is progressing well and should go home Monday. I just graduated from a LVN program and have no experience with Downs Syndrome, I did some research online about it and I did find that she has some of the symptoms, like the feet and breathing difficulties, but she does not have many of the other ones that were listed. I am just worried that the staff is down playing it a little and my niece will get blind sided by this when she takes the baby to the pedi for her 2 week checkup. The neonatologist has told her that some babies do have difficulty coordinating suck, swallow, and breathing at first and it should resolve itself as long as there are no other abnormalities. Anyone ever seen any of these things in a term newborn, and if so, what was the outcome??
