What are some interventions that can help a child with Down syndrome develop communication and language skills?
Perhaps the most important intervention is the expectation that each child will be a successful communicator. Then we should focus on message exchange and not worry about the form of the message. Work on speech clarity can be done by a speech-language pathologist as a specific activity, not as a daily activity to be drilled by parents. This means that people with Down syndrome can benefit from intervention to improve speech clarity even as adults. The best language interventions begin early and continue through childhood. They involve parents, speech-language pathologists, OTs, and special educators working as a team. Individuals with Down syndrome benefit from visual feedback. Interventions that incorporate general cognitive enhancement are also important to map knowledge of the world through language. Early literacy experiences should be a part of every intervention program. Q: Is there a particular age during which children with Down syndrome should begin receiving special language
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