Dates: Feb 7th, May 2nd, Aug 1st, Nov 7th (Saturdays Only) 

Time: 9am-11am 

Location: DSI 

Description: Join us for one — or all — of our New Parent Breakfasts! 

This welcoming event is designed for new parents and extended family members (prenatal to 2½ years old) to connect with others who have a young child with Down syndrome. 

Meet parents at different stages of their journey, learn about the services and support provided by Down Syndrome Innovations, and enjoy a relaxed, family-friendly environment. You’ll have the chance to ask questions, exchange resources, and explore our campus. 

Each breakfast also includes a facilitated discussion to help families connect, share experiences, and build community. 

These family connection events are FREE/DONOR-FUNDED thanks to our Step Up Walk donors, grantors and Community Partners! Breakfast and childcare are provided, so please RSVP so we have adequate accommodations! 

Caregiver Connection: Aging Years offers an opportunity for caregivers to discuss resources, strategies, community supports, and challenges related to caring for an aging loved one with Down syndrome.

We understand this is a growing group of entire population we serve, with unique challenges and experiences, and we hear how important it is for you all to feel connected. We hope that meeting one another in this group will organically open up opportunities for you all to spend time together face to face as you develop meaningful connections with one another.

All registered participants will receive a Zoom link from the instructor. 

This presentation provides a clear overview of what to expect during well-child visits, including current Down syndrome medical guideline recommendations and the core responsibilities of a primary care provider. Key components such as growth and developmental monitoring, routine screenings, immunizations, and anticipatory guidance will be outlined to highlight what high-quality preventive care should include.

The session will also address common pitfalls and misconceptions that medical providers may have—such as missed developmental concerns, inconsistent follow-up of abnormal findings, or gaps in family education—and will describe how to recognize these issues in practice.

Dr. Kristie Marble is a board-certified Pediatrician and a board-certified Pediatric Hospitalist at Children's Mercy Kansas City. In addition to her hospitalist role, she proudly serves as one of the pediatricians in the Multidisciplinary Down Syndrome Clinic. Her dedication to the Down syndrome community is both professional and deeply personal as it was sparked 17 years ago following the birth of her daughter, who was diagnosed with Down syndrome right after birth. This personal journey inspired her to become an expert in the field and commit herself to educating medical professionals. She is now excited to leverage both her clinical expertise and lived experience to support and educate other parents and families navigating their own paths, in partnership with Down Syndrome Innovations.

If you have any questions please email CJ, at cj@kcdsi.org

Caregiver Connection: DS – ASD is a virtual gathering of caregivers to discuss resources, strategies, community supports, and challenges related to a child or adult’s current or potential dual-diagnosis of Down syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorder.

This group is facilitated by Down Syndrome Innovations staff, and we will occasionally invite special guests with expertise in this area.  This is a complimentary caregiver education opportunity, provided in addition to the individualized services we provide directly for individuals with DS-ASD for the purpose of skill-development, improving self-regulation and behavior, and increasing independence.

We are providing this group virtually to ensure we are being inclusive of families throughout the region and those who are not able to access transportation, as we understand that facing a dual-diagnosis can already feel isolating in and of itself.  We understand this is a subgroup of the entire population we serve, with unique challenges and experiences, and we hear how important it is for you all to feel connected. We hope that meeting one another in this group will organically open up opportunities for you all to spend time together face to face as you develop meaningful connections with one another.

All registered participants will receive a Zoom link from the instructor. 

The D.A.D.S. Group is excited to welcome Rex Hudler of the Kansas City Royals for a special evening of connection and conversation on February 12th. Rex will share his personal journey and experiences raising a young man with Down syndrome during a one-hour talk designed to encourage, inspire, and support fellow dads. The gathering will take place from 6:00–8:00 p.m. at Down Syndrome Innovations, located at 5916 Dearborn Street in Mission, KS. This event offers a meaningful opportunity for fathers to come together, hear a powerful story, and build community in a supportive setting.

This group will consist of community-based activities in the Lee's Summit area to help self-advocates and their families in eastern Jackson County build relationships with friends and become more involved in their community. Register to receive monthly communication regarding that month's activity on each of the dates below, as our community activities are collaborative and planned with support with the parents of several self-advocates. 

Music, Dance, and Sensory Play @ Rough & Bumble

Address: 413 Delaware St, Leavenworth, KS 66048

Friday, February 20th from 9:30–10:45 AM

A lively blend of music, movement, and sensory exploration for ages 0–5

($5 per child, and siblings are welcome)

This is a combo class of Music & Motion and our Rhythm & Play coming together. This class invites young children to move, groove, and explore in a fun, developmentally supportive environment. We will have a private room to start our class for our introductions, music, and rhythm. 

Midway through class, children transition into sensory play breakout and explore the equipment at the play cafe. 

Designed for all abilities, this class encourages social connection, creativity, and joyful movement—helping preschoolers build important skills while having a blast.

If you have any questions please email alyssa@kcdsi.org

At Down Syndrome Innovations (DSI), we value independence, self-determination, and high expectations for the people we serve, regardless of their age. We support parents and caregivers with strategies to facilitate independence, foster self-determination, set high expectations, and problem-solve through setbacks and barriers. We recognize that independence looks different for every person with a developmental disability, varying across ages, stages, and environments.

Join Sarah Mai, Executive Director and Occupational Therapist, in Columbia, Missouri, as she guides you through strategies to build skills, adapt tasks and environments, and create opportunities to maximize your loved one's independence. We will discuss skills within DSI’s Lifespan Services Framework for building independence at home and in the community. Together, we can identify barriers to independence and share effective ideas and tools

The caregiver education event will take place between 10:00-11:30am and participants will have the opportunity for a light lunch and caregiver connection immediately following.

DSI will do our best to find a sufficient number of trusted volunteers for childcare for parents who have traveled a long distance with their family or have no other options. If possible, we encourage utilizing your own childcare. Please email sarah@kcdsi.org if you require childcare to attend as a parent.