Helping Children With Down Syndrome Communicate Better

Provides information and resources to improve children's communicaton at school, home and in the wider community.

Newly revised and updated, this compassionate and authoritative guide is based on Libby Kumin's more than thirty years experience working with children and adolescents with Down syndrome and their families. As the founder of the Down Syndrome Center for Excellence at Loyola University in Maryland, she draws on her vast experience to show parents how they can support and encourage their child's speech and language development from birth to age 6 (or when a child can form 2- to 3- word sentences). Parents and teachers learn how to work through characteristic challenges, including hearing loss, intelligibility issues, apraxia (difficulty planning oral-motor movements), or a slower pace of development. Families soon see that many children with Down syndrome are natural and willing communicators. In a warm and conversational style, the author shares her professional expertise in parent-friendly terms. She uses specific examples of difficulties and successes to illustrate the concepts behind speech and language development, and includes the latest research supporting current early intervention and preschool approaches that can be used at home and in schools. This third edition of EARLY COMMUNICATION SKILLS features expanded information on the needs of children with apraxia, dual diagnosis of autism and Down syndrome, and updated terminology and information on special education law. A new chapter explains how technology and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) ? smartphones, iPods, iPads, and apps ? can help with speech and language, foster communication, and provide inexpensive transitional language systems. Dozens of forms are now included on a CD-ROM to be used for assessment, developing treatment plans, and keeping detailed records of progress. Teachers, speech-language pathologists, and parents will love the convenience of printing multiple copies of forms and organizing information for IEP meetings or periodic evaluations.

Covers speech and language development in children with Down syndrome from infancy through to early adolescence, and what parents and carers can to to help maximise their child's communication potential.

Sharing the results of extensive longitudinal and cross-sectional studies, this groundbreaking book identifies communication milestones and describes a systematic approach you can use to predict speech and language growth. The authors explain research findings on speech, language, and communication development. You'll learn how to asses comprehension and production abilities relative to advancing cognitive skills. And you'll find ways to alleviate communication problems associated with Down syndrome. Order today!

Behavior issues in children with Down syndrome can quickly become engrained, which means short-term problems often develop into bad habits that are difficult to change. This new book by pediatric psychologist Dr. David Stein looks at how the brain of a person with Down syndrome works, why those differences impact behavior, and how to address these problems using his positive behavior approach designed specifically for children and teens with Down syndrome. Book jacket.

Covers every aspect of a child's language needs from kindergarten through middle school.