Speech, language, communication and auditory processing issues are almost universal in children with Down syndrome. As a homeschooling mom with a child with Ds, I'm very interested in learning all I can about how to help my daughter deal with these issues.
While we do use a professional speech therapist, I supplement what our therapist does with resources I've found with the companies below and thought I would share.
Speech, Language and Communication Resources
Pro-Ed, Speech, Language & Hearing Catalog
LinguiSystems
Laureate Learning Systems
Super Duper Publications
Janelle Publications
ECL Publications
Great Ideas For Teaching
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
Cardiology Update
R went to the cardiologist this week and got a great report. As you may know, she had a successful repair of her AVSD as an infant (3 months) which left her with complete heart block. R's pacemaker is a DDD. It paces the upper and lower chambers to give her optimal filling and pumping - a heart that beats efficiently. Most people with complete heart block have an underlying junctional rhythm or escape rhythm where the ventricle will beat at a slower rate than normal on its own. R has no underlying rhythm. When they turn her pacemaker off, her heart just sits there. She has no safety net. If her pacemaker (single ventricular lead) fails, she will die.
The good news is that her pacemaker generator (battery) has at least 18 months and as much as three years to go!
The good news is that with her next generator replacement, she will get a biventricular pacemaker. The biventricular pacemaker has the ability to pace both ventricles - no more complete dependence on one ventricular lead. She will have a safety net!
Not that I'm looking forward to her undergoing yet another procedure but I look forward to having that safety net. We've experienced atrial (upper chambers) lead failure. We know leads crack and break. We would like to avoid a devastating event.
More good news. R has grown an inch and only gained two pounds in the last eight months!
The good news is that her pacemaker generator (battery) has at least 18 months and as much as three years to go!
The good news is that with her next generator replacement, she will get a biventricular pacemaker. The biventricular pacemaker has the ability to pace both ventricles - no more complete dependence on one ventricular lead. She will have a safety net!
Not that I'm looking forward to her undergoing yet another procedure but I look forward to having that safety net. We've experienced atrial (upper chambers) lead failure. We know leads crack and break. We would like to avoid a devastating event.
More good news. R has grown an inch and only gained two pounds in the last eight months!
Reading and Down Syndrome - Part One
Teaching Reading Early (0-3)
Did you know reading and children with Down syndrome (Ds) is a controversial subject? Sounds pretty benign doesn't it? Families tend to fall into two groups - those who teach reading early and those who wait until a more typical time in a child's life - the elementary school years. I thought I might share what I've learned about reading and Ds and explore the different options.
Much of our time during infant and toddler years as parents of children with Ds is generally focused on health issues. Approximately 45-50 percent of our children are born with heart defects. About another 7 percent are born with gastrointestinal defects. Many present with feeding issues. Respiratory issues are prevalent due to lowered immune response. Most of our energies as parents during those early years are focused on getting our children beyond these health issues to a healthier place for our children.
During the infant/toddler years the focus of most professionals and parents is on the most obvious delays – delays in gross motor skills. Our children are normally delayed in reaching the typical milestones of the infant/toddler years. They sit at an average age of 11 months and walk on average at 26 months.
Speech Therapists during the infancy and toddler years are focused on feeding skills and/or sign language skills. How many parents are counseled to begin teaching reading?
I really want to encourage every parent who has a child with Ds to consider beginning to teach their child to read during late infancy and the toddler years. Because our children are so visual they easily learn to read words that are meaningful (words they can say or sign) to them. In the long run, teaching reading early eases their entry into the world of literacy and gives them a great head start!
The technique is easy and only takes a few minutes a day. There is no need to buy expensive programs – all you need is a bold marker and posterboard.
The following method is familiar to those who use the neurodevelopmental approach and excerpted from Teach Your Baby to Read by Glenn Doman.
Length of play (reading flashcards) is very short. At first it is played 3 times a day. All sessions must end before the child wants to stop. This way the child will enjoy the sessions and want to play the reading game and the parent is nurturing vs. destroying the child's natural desire to learn.
Materials
Stiff white cardboard (posterboard) – ready made note cards are just too small.
Words should be lettered w/felt tip maker – red is recommended..
Printing should be neat, clear, and have consistent plain lettering style, large letters (5 in by 4 in with 1/2 in between letters.
Margins should be at least 1/2 in. all around.
Printing should be lower-case letters unless the word is a proper noun.
The First Step (Visual Differentiation)
First words:
Pick 15 words of high interest or familiar, start w/mommy, daddy, names of family members, pets, favorite foods, objects in the house, favorite activities.
Sessions
Pick a place with little/no distractions.
Work only when the child is in a good mood.
Hold up the word mommy, say "This says mommy." Give the child no ore description and do not elaborate. Hold up the next card, daddy, and repeat the process. Show 3 other words. Do not ask your child to repeat the words. After the fifth word, give your child a hug & kiss with lots of praise. Repeat session 3 times/day, at least 1/2 hour apart. Sessions should last no more than 3 minutes. Always end the session before the child is ready to end it.
How hard does this sound! Doman's book will give your greater detail on how to proceed with this method. Several people have developed materials using Doman’s method to assist the parent in teaching their children to read including eReadingPro.
Another early reading tool for birth to age 3 – Love and Learning
Though it is convenient to have ready made curriculum for reading, the cost of these programs is a bit out of reach for many families - especially during economic downturns as we are experiencing now. Doman’s reading method is cheap, easy to use and successful!
Part Two - Reading and the Older Child
Did you know reading and children with Down syndrome (Ds) is a controversial subject? Sounds pretty benign doesn't it? Families tend to fall into two groups - those who teach reading early and those who wait until a more typical time in a child's life - the elementary school years. I thought I might share what I've learned about reading and Ds and explore the different options.
Much of our time during infant and toddler years as parents of children with Ds is generally focused on health issues. Approximately 45-50 percent of our children are born with heart defects. About another 7 percent are born with gastrointestinal defects. Many present with feeding issues. Respiratory issues are prevalent due to lowered immune response. Most of our energies as parents during those early years are focused on getting our children beyond these health issues to a healthier place for our children.
During the infant/toddler years the focus of most professionals and parents is on the most obvious delays – delays in gross motor skills. Our children are normally delayed in reaching the typical milestones of the infant/toddler years. They sit at an average age of 11 months and walk on average at 26 months.
Speech Therapists during the infancy and toddler years are focused on feeding skills and/or sign language skills. How many parents are counseled to begin teaching reading?
I really want to encourage every parent who has a child with Ds to consider beginning to teach their child to read during late infancy and the toddler years. Because our children are so visual they easily learn to read words that are meaningful (words they can say or sign) to them. In the long run, teaching reading early eases their entry into the world of literacy and gives them a great head start!
The technique is easy and only takes a few minutes a day. There is no need to buy expensive programs – all you need is a bold marker and posterboard.
The following method is familiar to those who use the neurodevelopmental approach and excerpted from Teach Your Baby to Read by Glenn Doman.
Length of play (reading flashcards) is very short. At first it is played 3 times a day. All sessions must end before the child wants to stop. This way the child will enjoy the sessions and want to play the reading game and the parent is nurturing vs. destroying the child's natural desire to learn.
Materials
Stiff white cardboard (posterboard) – ready made note cards are just too small.
Words should be lettered w/felt tip maker – red is recommended..
Printing should be neat, clear, and have consistent plain lettering style, large letters (5 in by 4 in with 1/2 in between letters.
Margins should be at least 1/2 in. all around.
Printing should be lower-case letters unless the word is a proper noun.
The First Step (Visual Differentiation)
First words:
Pick 15 words of high interest or familiar, start w/mommy, daddy, names of family members, pets, favorite foods, objects in the house, favorite activities.
Sessions
Pick a place with little/no distractions.
Work only when the child is in a good mood.
Hold up the word mommy, say "This says mommy." Give the child no ore description and do not elaborate. Hold up the next card, daddy, and repeat the process. Show 3 other words. Do not ask your child to repeat the words. After the fifth word, give your child a hug & kiss with lots of praise. Repeat session 3 times/day, at least 1/2 hour apart. Sessions should last no more than 3 minutes. Always end the session before the child is ready to end it.
How hard does this sound! Doman's book will give your greater detail on how to proceed with this method. Several people have developed materials using Doman’s method to assist the parent in teaching their children to read including eReadingPro.
Another early reading tool for birth to age 3 – Love and Learning
Though it is convenient to have ready made curriculum for reading, the cost of these programs is a bit out of reach for many families - especially during economic downturns as we are experiencing now. Doman’s reading method is cheap, easy to use and successful!
Part Two - Reading and the Older Child
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Missy Funny
R HATES doing her hair and protests every morning.
"The hairbrush is my enemy," she growled this morning.
When you're 14, hormonal and fragile, hair is a crisis EVERY day.
Wish my enemies made me look better.
"The hairbrush is my enemy," she growled this morning.
When you're 14, hormonal and fragile, hair is a crisis EVERY day.
Wish my enemies made me look better.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Twouble with Twitters
Do you twitter? I'm just getting the hang of it -- I think. It really is a fun way to meet and interact with others in your niche.
I thought this was hilarious!
H/T BabyBlueOnline
I thought this was hilarious!
H/T BabyBlueOnline
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Help with Curriculum - Homeschooling & Down Syndrome
I've added a bunch of resources to my sidebar to the right. It didn't take me long after we started this homeschooling journey with Miss R that we needed to look outside typical homeschooling curricula if we were to keep moving forward in learning. Materials for typically developing children just moved to fast and didn't break down skills to the level she needed. Of course, there is no perfect curriculum for the child with Down syndrome - all will have to be modified but here is a good start for those just beginning their journey!
A Few Special Educational Resources
Some Math Resources
Reading Resources
A Few Special Educational Resources
Some Math Resources
Reading Resources
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Bringing Awarenss...
The International Down Syndrome Coalition for Life
If you think the lives of children with Down syndrome are precious, head off to see this site! I'll be placing an order for my International Down Syndrome Coalition for Life t-shirt tonight.
Did you know that a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome drastically reduces the child's chances for survival? The termination rate averages around 90% for those children with a prenatal diagnosis!
What a tragedy...
If you think the lives of children with Down syndrome are precious, head off to see this site! I'll be placing an order for my International Down Syndrome Coalition for Life t-shirt tonight.
Did you know that a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome drastically reduces the child's chances for survival? The termination rate averages around 90% for those children with a prenatal diagnosis!
What a tragedy...
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