Download Speech and Language Issues For Babies and Pre

Speech and Language
Issues For Babies and Pre-school age children
who have Down Syndrome
Ups and Downs Southwest Conference 2007
The importance of speech and language
• One of the most important
things children learn to do
• Critical to social, emotional and
cognitive development
• Allows control over their social
and emotional world
• Enables children to relate to
others
• Underpins the development of
friendships
• Plays a huge part in enabling
children to negotiate their way
through the world
• Once stringing words together,
words take over as our most
powerful way to reason and
remember
Evidence suggests that the brain is most ready for speech and
language learning between birth and 6-8yrs
• The ability to fully master grammar and phonology may reduce after
this time. (There is however, NO evidence that speech and language
cannot steadily progress into adult life.
• Full control over grammar and phonology becomes less likely if some
control is not in place by 6yrs old.
• Speech and language therapy please!
• Some observers believe that the development of grammar is
triggered by the number of words a child can understand and
use.
• The brain begins to analyse regularities in both grammar
and phonology.
• It is thought that the brain is most ready to do this from 3-8
years.
•If the child does not have a sufficient vocabulary by this age
it is possible that this analytical and computational system
may not be activated.
•The reason for this information is to highlight for both
parents AND professionals the importance of early language
intervention.
• Babies with DS find it more difficult to
maintain their attention
• Be responsive and follow your child’s
lead, talking about what they are already
interested in
• Most children with DS understand a lot
more than they can say
• Vast majority of children with DS are
late in starting to talk
• Average age for first spoken word –
about 18 months. First ten words – 27
months
• Tend to start using two words together
when they have a productive vocabulary
of about 50 words – occurs on average
at around 37 months
Don’t Panic!
Facts
• Speech is more delayed than it should be
according to their cognitive abilities
• Speech and language motor work is
necessary
• Children who have DS have difficulties
with their short term verbal memory
• Signing is necessary
Signing
• Enables a child with no speech to communicate
• Will reduce frustration and/or withdrawal
• Encourages two-way communication with the child before
speech is in place
• Encourages your child to look at you during exchanges of
communication
• Emphasises words and gives visual backup to auditory
information
• Illustrates different meanings for words which sound the
same.
Language Assessments
• These should take place in a variety of
contexts eg home, playschool/nursery, with
different adults, with other children etc.
• Should be an ongoing gathering of
information
• Should be an exchange of information with
parents.
• Should take into account the child’s signing
vocabulary
A number of parent-oriented interventions
have demonstrated that communication
intervention in the first 3 years of life fosters
pre-linguistic and/or early linguistic skills in
individuals with D.S.
Target Word Teaching
• Same research team who developed Hanen programme
carried out studies with parents teaching their children
specific target words for specific lengths of time
• Eg – a group of children aged between 29-46 months (all
had at least 10 signs) were taught 10 words
• Parents set up new routines to make it easy to use and
model the words frequently – repeating the word three
times during each interaction.
• Child not required to imitate at this point
• The children learned and used more words more quickly
than the control group who were still playing with mum
and getting regular speech and language therapy.
Reading
• Current evidence strongly suggests that teaching
children with D.S. a sight vocabulary should be a
routine part of their speech and language therapy
programme as well as a priority in any early
intervention programme.
• Learning to read will visually support grammar
and sentence learning.
• 3-4 years is usually optimum age to start
• Matching words
Practical activities
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Matching words
Good and simple use of language
Looking at lots of books together and reading to your child
Rhyme, rhythm, repetitive, catchphrase/chorus
As much eye contact as possible
Singing
Exaggerated facial expressions
Make your own picture cards
Color cards – for identification, speech production exercise and later
word recognition
• Press the letter toys
Things to remember
• Insist on a sound not just pointing to get a
requested item
• As words develop, repeat back more fully and/or
correctly (eg correct grammar, increase phrase by
one word)
• Encourage talking on the telephone as children get
a bit older
• Keep records