People with Down syndrome will inevitably encounter many physical and psychological challenges in their growth, and the emotional health of their caregivers will also be affected. Sponsored by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, the Jockey Club Tong Ka Hin “Jockey Club Down Arts Project” will hold a webinar on physical and mental health. The seminar brings together professional doctors, scholars, parents or friends from Down to share practical health information, enhance service users and caregivers’ attention to personal physical and mental health, embrace health, and embrace love and inclusive community.
Webinar Details:
Date: 19 March 2022 (Saturday)
Time: 2pm to 5:15pm
Form: video
Language: Cantonese
Target audience: Caregivers of people with Down syndrome or other intellectual disabilities, co-workers engaged in related work and other interested persons
Cost: Free
Deadline: March 11, 2022 (Friday)
Enquiry: 3694 0996
Note: There is a Q&A time for the seminar
Speaker Profile and Speech Summary
【New trends in prenatal screening and diagnosis】
Speaker: Dr. Kan Shi Yo
Consultant Obstetrician, Department of Gynaecology, Queen Mary Hospital
Honorary Clinical Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Hong Kong
Speaker Profile
Presentation summary
Dr Kan graduated from the University of Hong Kong and qualified as a specialist in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in 2006. In 2008, he completed the Master of Public Health programme at the University of Hong Kong with honors. He attended overseas training in cytogenetics at Gay Hospital in London in 2011, obtained a European Diploma in Molecular Cytogenetics from the University of Descartes in Paris in 2012, and did clinical and laboratory internships at Victorian Clinical Genetics Services in Melbourne, Australia in 2014. Dr. Kan is the Head of Prenatal Diagnosis and Counseling at Zanyuk Hospital, where he leads the provision of preconception counseling and risk assessment services for fetal abnormalities or genetic diseases. She is also the Deputy Laboratory Supervisor of the Prenatal Diagnostic Laboratory and is responsible for providing territory-wide antenatal screening (Down syndrome screening programme of the Hospital Authority) and diagnostic services (cytogenetic and molecular genetic testing). She works closely with clinical geneticists, neonatologists and other specialists to provide a multidisciplinary care team for pregnant women and their families to care for fetal patients. The use of advanced molecular genomic technology and genetic counseling in prenatal diagnosis is more important to physicians.
In the past decade, prenatal screening for Down syndrome has been continuously developed, from advanced maternal prenatal examination, biochemical screening, one-stop screening during early pregnancy to today's non-invasive prenatal screening (NIPS). With the increasing popularity of noninvasive prenatal screening of fetal chromosomes, the number of invasive diagnostic tests such as chorionic sampling and amniocentesis has decreased. Chromosomal microarray (CMA) can identify subtle chromosomal abnormalities in less time. The presentation will introduce current prenatal screening and diagnosis methods, and share case studies to illustrate how various tests can provide valuable information to expectant parents.
【Experience Sharing of "One Toothbrush, Multiple Smiles" Preventive Oral Care Program】
Speaker: Dr. Li Yu
Former Chief Executive Officer of Quality HealthCare Dental
Consultant Dentist, Hong Kong Down Syndrome Association
Speaker: Dr. Li Peihao
Bachelor of Dental Studies, University of Sydney
Master from King's College London
Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
Consultant Dentist, Hong Kong Down Syndrome Association
Speaker Profile
Presentation summary
Dr. Li Yu graduated from the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom in 1983. He has been working as a dentist in the UK and Hong Kong since 1984 and was Chief Executive Officer of Quality HealthCare Dental from 1999 to 2008. She is currently a Consultant Dentist of the Hong Kong Down Syndrome Association and works with dental hygienists to implement the Preventive Oral Care Programme for Down Syndrome members.
Dr Lee has been caring for the teeth of disabled people in Hong Kong, London and Sydney for 20 years. He has also participated in the training of teaching dental teams to provide dental services for people with intellectual disabilities. His current interest is focused on improving oral hygiene for people with disabilities.
Good oral health is always the key to good oral hygiene. Proper daily oral care can effectively prevent dental disease. Many people, especially people with Down syndrome or special needs, suffer from gum disease after middle age, but do not know that dental disease can be prevented by simple daily oral care habits.
The program uses guided and motivating stories, games and activities to help members develop habits of daily oral care. In addition, in 2021, renowned professionals from the art world were invited to donate their time and skills to create a music video "One Toothbrush, Many Smiles", which was performed by famous singer and entertainer Sugar Girl with members and friends of the Hong Kong Down Syndrome Association.
This report covers these programmes and services at Down Syndrome Hong Kong from 2019 to 2021, including parent responses and future directions.
【Research on Aging of People with Down Syndrome】
Speaker: Mr. Lin Xujie
Department of Occupational Therapy, Tung Wah College
Senior Lecturer
Speaker Profile
Presentation summary
Mr. Lin Xujie is a licensed occupational therapist, registered social worker and accredited sex therapist. He has been engaged in psychiatric rehabilitation for more than 20 years. He is currently a senior lecturer (occupational therapy) at Tung Wah College.
The Hong Kong Down Syndrome Association and the School of Medical and Health Sciences of Tung Wah College collaborated in 2021 to conduct a study on ageing and fitness tests for people with Down syndrome. Mr Lam will brief on the ageing of people with Down syndrome and discuss prevention and improvement strategies.
【Be a happy caregiver】
Speaker: Mr. Lin Xujie
Consultant Doctor at Kwai Chung Hospital
Speaker Profile
Presentation summary
Dr Lee is a trained paediatrician and psychiatrist, a Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the Hong Kong College of Psychiatrists, a consultant psychiatrist at Kwai Chung Hospital and an executive committee of various NGOs including the Hong Kong Down Syndrome Association, the New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association and the Hong Kong Mental Health Association. Dr Lee is also a founding board member of the Guardianship Board, a member of the Mental Health Review Tribunal and a professional advisor to various patient and carer organisations in Hong Kong. Over the past 20 years, Dr Lee has led the Community and Rehabilitation Psychiatric Team to pioneer a number of community rehabilitation projects, including deinstitutionalisation of psychiatric hospitals and case management models, and has been awarded the Hospital Authority Outstanding Team Award many times. Dr. Lee has received various research grants from the Hong Kong Government, actively participated in research on psychiatric genetics, psychiatric service outcome evaluation, etc., published more than 30 papers, and was appointed as a reviewer for several international and local industry journals.
It is not easy to care for a child with Down syndrome/intellectual disability, and coupled with the impact of the epidemic in the past two years, it is conceivable that caregivers are under high physical and mental stress. Accumulated or excessive stress can easily cause caregivers to fall into emotional difficulties without knowing it! However, studies have shown that caregivers' stress and burden, in turn, can give them a positive impact, such as the opportunity to outperform others in terms of physical function, resource use, and coping difficulties!
The speaker will introduce the common emotional problems and symptoms of caregivers, as well as treatments other than medication, so that they can pay attention to the warning signs of mental health, and encourage caregivers to make better choices for themselves and be happy caregivers through experience sharing.