A Life of Care Giving – Becoming an Enlightened Caregiver

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The popular book, Fine Motor Skills for Children with Down Syndrome is now available in an expanded new edition. Written by an occupational therapist who has worked extensively with children with Down syndrome, and is also the mother a teenager with Down syndrome, this book explains the best practices and procedures for helping children master daily living skills for home, school, and an independent future.

The author presents a thorough overview of the building blocks of fine motor development and how the characteristics of Down syndrome can impact the acquisition and progression of fine motor skills.

She also explains the building blocks of fine motor development: Stability
Bilateral coordination
Sensation
Dexterity
Early arm and hand control
And covers important daily living skills for home and school: Dressing & grooming
Eating & drinking
Cutting
Grasping a pencil
Preprinting skills
Drawing
Printing
Cursive handwriting
There are instructions for dozens of easy home- and school-based activities, which help children gradually overcome delays and learn the fine motor skills mentioned above. The author suggests ways for parents to incorporate these exercises into as many day-to-day activities as possible, recognizing how impractical it is to constantly be in “therapy” mode with a child.

New material includes a chapter on problems with sensory processing for those who are over- or under-responsive to touch, or have unexpected reactions to sound, pain, or other sensations. Being aware of these sensitivities can open pathways to better behavior and responsiveness to therapy. Also new is information about a critical developmental step–determining when a child is ready for preprinting activities. These and many other additions make this the most up-to-date, comprehensive resource on fine motor development for children with Down syndrome.

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TEACHING MATH TO PEOPLE WITH DOWN SYNDROME is the book that everyone has been waiting for! Now parents and educators can use this guide to teach meaningful math to students–with and without learning problems–who struggle with understanding computation, number concepts, and when and how to use these skills.

The author, an experienced educator, was inspired to write TEACHING MATH to meet the needs of hands-on learners after observing the difficulty her adult son with Down syndrome and his peers had in applying math skills to everyday life.

For years, the math program explained in TEACHING MATH has been successfully used with preschoolers, children, and adults with Down syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and other cognitive disabilities. Its success lies in capitalizing on the visual learning strengths of these concrete learners and using manipulatives, games, and activities to teach and maintain motivation. A key feature of this method is the early introduction of the calculator, which allows students to progress in their understanding of math without having to memorize math facts. This book can be used to help students learn the critical math survival skills needed for living independently or help students in their math curricula at school.

Book I covers introductory math skills typically taught in preschool or elementary school, but which many older students still need help with, including:

Number sense
Recognizing & writing numerals
Time
Calculator skills
Counting
Measurements
Addition
Place value
Shapes
Subtraction
Money

The second volume of TEACHING MATH will focus on more advanced math skills needed for independent living, including multiplication, division, banking, budgeting, and consumer skills.

TEACHING MATH gives parents and teachers high-interest, hands-on strategies and ideas for teaching math to learners of all ages.

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Dolls with distinguishing features of Down Syndrome. Two skin tones available, 15″ tall, machine washable.

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Buddy Walk Down Syndrome Awareness 2 in 1 8″ Ribbon Car Magnet

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Do you worry that no one outside of your immediate family can understand what your child says? This inspiring DVD, by one of the most respected speech-language pathologists (SLP) in the field of Down syndrome, looks at the importance of speech intelligibility and what makes clear speech challenging for people with Down syndrome. Dr. Libby Kumin explains the components of speech that parents and SLPs should pay attention to, helping them identify what a child or adult needs to work on in speech therapy.

What Did You Say? reminds parents that the quality of their child’s speech often reflects on how society perceives their child’s abilities. Dr. Kumin’s positive outlook reassures viewers that improvement is possible, especially when you know what the problems are. The video carefully defines the factors that contribute to understandable speech. These include such issues as anatomical factors, articulation, intonation, the ability to sequence sounds in the proper order, the rate of speech, and social use of language (making eye contact, using facial expressions and gestures to get a message across). The DVD features dozens of boys and girls with Down syndrome, from preschool age to young adulthood, showing various levels of speech intelligibility. They may be working on a problem area and giving parents a chance to hear what different speech problems sound like, or demonstrating understandable speech and showing what can be achieved with effective speech therapy. ! The DVD also features a bonus section with useful tips on writing effective Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals related to speech intelligibility.

This comprehensive overview of speech intelligibility problems is useful to parents of young children who speak but are not easily understood. What Did You Say? is also an excellent companion to Kumin’s book Early Communication Skills for Children with Down Syndrome.

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