This presentation will focus on guiding families and caregivers through healthy, developmentally appropriate conversations about puberty, sexuality, and reproductive health. It will outline when to begin thinking about these topics and provide clear strategies for when and how to discuss them respectfully and age appropriately. Attendees will learn about useful resources—including recommended books, visual supports, and teaching tools—that can make these conversations easier and more accessible.

Overall, this session is designed to help caregivers approach sexual health education with confidence, clarity, and practical tools that support the well-being and autonomy of the individuals they care for.

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

Neuru is a secure, all-in-one platform designed to help families manage the many moving parts of their loved one's care without the overwhelm. We centralize school plans, medical records, and therapy notes into one easy-to-use system, so everything you need is always in one place. You have the ability to import records directly from hospital systems like Advent, Children’s Mercy, St. Luke’s, University of Kansas Health System, and more.

Instead of juggling emails, binders, portals, and paperwork, families can quickly access, organize, and share critical information with teachers, therapists, doctors, and caregivers. Neuru helps ensure everyone on your child’s care team stays informed, aligned, and focused on what matters most: supporting your child’s growth and success.

Built with neurodiverse families in mind, Neuru reduces stress, saves time, and brings clarity to complex care, so families can spend less time managing logistics and more time being present.

This seminar will focus on providing parents and caregivers with a clear understanding of the IEP transition process, from the legal requirements to the best practices for ensuring a smooth and successful transition from school to post-school activities.

With a focus on education, employment, and independent living, the seminar will break down the steps parents can take to actively support their child’s growth and future planning, offering actionable strategies and resources that can make a real difference. This session is led by Kathryn Holmes, our Director of Continuing Education. Kathryn created and implemented a transition program in the Kansas City, Kansas school district for over 25 years and shares both the teacher and parent perspective. 

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.