Helping Children with Down Syndrome Communicate Better: Speech and Language Skills for Ages 6-14 (Topics in Down Syndrome)

As children with Down syndrome reach age 6 they encounter more complex speech and language demands in their learning and relationships with others. This is when gaps in communication abilities between children with Down syndrome and their typically developing peers begin to widen. Helping Children with Down Syndrome Communicate Better provides parents and professionals with the information and resources they need to improve their child s communication at school, at home, and in the wider community.
Written by Dr. Libby Kumin, an expert in Down syndrome and communication, this is the only book about speech and language issues for children with Down syndrome ages 6-14, and is the sequel to Early Communication Skills for Children with Down Syndrome. Encouraging and parent-friendly, it covers the scope of speech and language issues important for this age group, from understanding language pragmatics to building conversation skills and from using augmentative and alternative communication systems to improving speech intelligibility. Chapters include case studies, research, home and school activities for practice, and present:

The distinctions between language and speech

Factors that make speech and language difficult (articulation, grammar, fluency)

The evaluation process (school or private evaluation)

Assessment of language and speech skills

Language treatment (grammar, vocabulary, reading)

Speech treatment (articulation, fluency, apraxia)

Communication skills at school

Communication skills at home & in the community

Conversational skills (how to start & end conversations, take turns, stay on topic)

Assistive technology for communication (assessing need, types of augmentative or alternative communication, the right match for your child)

A suggested reading list, resource guide, and appendices (sample evaluations and blank forms) complement the wealth of practical suggestions and strategies in Helping Children with Down Syndrome Communicate Better. Parents, therapists, and teachers will want to refer to it often to help children make communication progress and participate fully in their lives.

• Classroom Language Skills for Children With Down Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Teachers (Topics in Down Syndrome)
• Early Communication Skills for Children with Down Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals (Topics in Down Syndrome)
• Supporting Positive Behavior in Children and Teens with Down Syndrome: The Respond but Don't React Method
• Fine Motor Skills for Children with Down Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals (Topics in Down Syndrome)
• Down Syndrome Parenting 101: Must-Have Advice for Making Your Life Easier
• Teaching Reading to Children With Down Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Teachers (Topics in Down Syndrome)
• The Down Syndrome Nutrition Handbook: A Guide to Promoting Healthy Lifestyles
• Stars of Success: Understanding How Children With Down Syndrome Learn
• Speech and Language Development and Intervention in Down Syndrome and Fragile X Syndrome (CLI)
• Teaching Math to People with Down Syndrome and Other Hands-On Learners: Strategies and Materials (Second Edition)