At The Joey Center, families can access a variety of services to address the specific 
developmental and educational issues that a child with a diagnosis of Down syndrome may face. The pediatric subspecialists at Valley are available to make sure your child receives the right care.
Services Offered
Comprehensive Evaluations
If your child has a diagnosis of Down syndrome, developmental pediatricians at The Joey Center can provide a comprehensive evaluation to review developmental, educational and medical issues, as well as identify community resources that may be available. Please contact our intake department to schedule an appointment by calling 201-447-8278.
If your child requires additional evaluations or treatment for medical conditions that are often associated with Down syndrome, our team can refer your child to other Valley specialists, including endocrinologists, physiatrists, sleep specialists, gastroenterologists and pulmonologist.
Specialized Services and Support
In collaboration with Valley's Kireker Center for Child Development, The Joey Center also provides:
- Speech/language, feeding, occupational, and physical therapies
- Audiology
- Physiatry services to assess muscle tone, gait, and orthotic needs
- Social work support
Family Support
The Joey Center offers a quarterly support group for parents while their children participate in a developmental play group run by therapists. Engage with other parents on topics such as developmental milestones, medical issues, and advocacy for your children. Siblings are welcome. For information on meeting dates, times, and location, please call 201-447-8278 or email [email protected].
In addition, the staff at The Joey Center is happy to provide parents with referrals to a variety of helpful community resources.
Joey's Friends
Joey’s Friends is a navigation program that provides extra support to individuals with developmental disabilities while they receive healthcare services at Valley Health System. Because certain procedures, like blood draws, may cause anxiety in patients, Joey’s Friends will work with you to have accommodations for appointments and procedures. These may include shorter wait times; staff who are trained in assisting those with special needs; and even an extra set of hands during your visits.
If you are interested in enrolling your child in the Joey's Friends navigation program, please complete the enrollment form and email it to [email protected].
WATCH: Staff from Valley's Kireker Center discuss the Joey's Friends program and how it has helped patients with developmental disabilities - including their own children - receive blood draws and other healthcare services with less anxiety and fear.
