Psychosis/Schizophrenia and Downs Syndrome

[NET123]

Hi all, i was wondering if someone could help me. I am a mental health nurse and I work in the community and today I have met a gentleman with down syndrome. The concerning factor is he may have psychosis/schizophrenia and I have never come across this before. The family would really like support from another family who has a son/daughter with down syndrome but also with psychosis/schizophrenia. It would also be useful for me as a professional to aid in planning a recovery pathway for him.

[Charlyd101]

community learning disability service should be available to provide support.. they have consultant psychiatrists and MDT’s and may provide a joint working arrangement with MH services

[NET123 in reply to Charlyd101]

They LD CMHT refused him saying he is too high functioning and hasn't got a formal diagnosis of a learning disability, but he has down syndrome? So i don't understand.

[Charlyd101 in reply to NET123]

Do they have a referral criteria they could share with you?

How are they determining his level of functioning without assessment?

Does he receive PIP/ Could his GP support with facilitating a professional referal?

I agree with the other post regarding other conditions associated with DS which need thorough assessment.

Hope you manage to get the help you need

[NET123 in reply to Charlyd101]

Oooo good idea on the referral criteria.

I am a professional, I'm an RMN working in CMHT.

He went to mainstream school and has a gcse in art and a btec in math and science. So they said because of this, his IQ is too high for them, but i cant find a formal IQ assessment for him.

Yeah he has recently got PIP.

His memory has been checked and thats fine, MRI fine, but im curious about the regression thing.

Thank you

[SpeedyH]

I recommend you contact the Downs syndrome Association. Tel: [phone]

They have a lot of expertise in mental health and DS. There are other conditions associated with DS which might be at play here and they have access to DS medical experts. You don't say how old the person is but some conditions like Regression can begin in teens and some like dementia in the early thirties.

The DSA also have an extensive network of parent support groups and if anyone can find you another family, it is them!

[NET123 in reply to SpeedyH]

i have emailed them, thank you

[deborahcoxsuckle]

same as MH son, he is also deemed high functioning for LD support when I think his needs will be best met under their team, my son also has qualifications from college but I think he’s low functioning. How do they assess what level a person is? Because of my son’s qualifications they won’t even assess his IQ, why is this?

[lecsmum]

You can be Downs with Autism, Sensory processing, ARFID, PDA, etc, Anxiety that triggers behaviour, an Occupational Therapist assessment may be helpful.