Interesting to ponder both the breaks and the reason for the falls....many 22qs have motor/balance problems.  It took my son quite a while to learn to ride a bike, and othertimes, if he was tripped, would fall flat on his face.

Calcium is stored in bones, but also HUGELY affects the body's 'electrical system', including muscles, heart, and brain (e.g. seizures). 

Many people with 22q have parathyroid hormone deficiency. . . hypo-parathyroid is associated with both calcium and Vitamin D deficiency. BOTH are needed. which is why now so many calcium supplements also inclide Vit D. 

This kind of problem can require a prescription form of Vit D, if the over the counter supplements are not enough. 

The doctors who follow her should be doing calcium tests (blood) to keep an eye on the levels. My son's problems have become apparent in his teens/puberty.  22qs may not have enough parathyroid 'in reserve', and thus cannot respond to stress ( e.g. illness), when cacium levels can fall dangerously.

Michele,

Your daughter should have a bone density study. Osteopenia (a milder form of thinning of the bones than osteoporosis) is common in VCFS and is probably a bit more common in females than males with VCFS. Sometimes bones can also be more prone to breaking because the joints are a bit lax in VCFS so during falls, the arms bend in directions that make them more likely to fracture. However, the first step is definitely to get a bone density study. We recommend it for all of our patients at the VCFS International Center at your daughter's age.

Dr. Robert J. Shprintzen, Director

Professor of Otolaryngology and Pediatrics

VCFS International Center

Upstate Medical University

Syracuse, NY, USA 

Phone: 315-464-6590

Email: VCFS@upstate.edu

web site: www.vcfscenter.org