Puzzles of all kinds work on so many great skills! There is a bit of a developmental sequence to puzzles that begins with large peg puzzles with underlying pictures and ends with jigsaw puzzles with many small pieces. Each will work on visual perception, visual motor integration and fine motor skills.
Provide visual materials to support the spoken word, including visual timetables and pictures of the topic at hand. Use a buddy system, so that the child with Down syndrome is not left behind just because they missed an instruction. Pre-teach new material in a quiet setting, such as individual resource time.
To the maximum extent possible, children with Down syndrome should participate in after-school and weekend activities such as book fairs, math nights, plays, concerts, dances, club meetings, and sporting events. As they get older, their friends will naturally provide support at these events.
They can have many hobbies, like photography, drawing, and writing.
The following suggestions are based upon the input of many parents of children with Down syndrome. THINGS NOT TO SAY – These are the things that parents have said really upset or angered them: “I'm sorry” or any form of pity. Pity is not what new parents want or need.
They often have mild to moderate intellectual disability and may have specific challenges with attention span, verbal memory, and expressive communication. Behavioral problems such as stubbornness, impulsivity, and temper tantrums may be more common in children with Down syndrome.
Children with Down Syndrome develop certain medical conditions, such as heart defects, hearing loss, and vision problems. They may also be more susceptible to infections and other health issues. This can be stressful for parents and caregivers, who may worry about their child's health and well-being.
Research suggests that people with Down syndrome learn better when they can see things illustrated. This finding has been demonstrated across a number of areas of development including the acquisition of language, motor skills and literacy.
For example, children with Down syndrome show higher rates (than typically developing children) of attention problems, social withdrawal, noncompliance, and compulsions (such as arranging objects and repeating certain actions) [2, 3] , as well as high rates of self-talk .
In many children with Down syndrome, the muscles and ligaments that support the neck are weak and loose. This can potentially cause spinal cord compression, in which the small bones in the neck (vertebrae) press on the spinal cord. Compression may lead to reduced muscle coordination, numbness, and weakness.
Many moms report that the most difficult part of being the parent of a child with Down syndrome is the diagnosis and the immediate aftermath. Moms report thoughts and emotions they never thought they would have. Most are not prepared for the onslaught of emotions, and the intensity shocks them.
People with Down syndrome can feel angry, sad, embarrassed or excited. In fact, rather than always being happy, people with Down syndrome are at higher risk of mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive behaviour than the general population.
Almost one-half of babies with Down syndrome have congenital heart disease (CHD), the most common type of birth defect. CHD can lead to high blood pressure in the lungs, an inability of the heart to effectively and efficiently pump blood, and cyanosis (blue-tinted skin caused by reduced oxygen in the blood).
Stubbornness. Unfortunately many people associate Down syndrome with someone who is stubborn. The reality is that while your special needs student may be stubborn, it is not necessarily a symptom of Down syndrome. In truth, there are many people who are stubborn who have no handicap at all!
Behavior Changes in Childhood and Adolescence
The behavioral challenges seen in children with Down syndrome are usually not particularly different from those seen in typically developing children. However, they may occur at a later age and last longer.
Children with Down syndrome have a specific impairment in short-term memory for verbal information (i.e. the phonological loop) and this will make processing verbal information and, therefore, learning from listening, especially difficult for them.
Adults with Down syndrome are at greater risk for social isolation, and the challenges of daily living can be daunting.
Those with Down syndrome nearly always have physical and intellectual disabilities. As adults, their mental abilities are typically similar to those of an 8- or 9-year-old. At the same time, their emotional and social awareness is very high.
Many people with Down syndrome will make noises or do motor activities (e.g., arm movements) that appear to be self-stimulatory. These are called stereotypies (also known as self-stimulatory behavior). * They can include making sounds or doing repetitive movements or repetitively moving objects.
Symptoms associated with the syndrome include mental retardation, distinctive facial characteristics, and increased risk for heart defects and digestive problems, which can range from mild to severe. The risk of having a child with Down syndrome rises with the mother's age at the time of conception.
Heart defects — Approximately half of all babies with Down syndrome are born with (often repairable) heart defects. Usually, these defects affect the walls separating the four chambers of the heart.
A common recommendation we give to individuals with Down syndrome who come to our clinic is to drink more fluids. Many people with Down syndrome we see are at least mildly dehydrated. Dehydration can cause dizziness, fatigue, and confusion.