Early Communication Skills for Children With Down Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals

EARLY COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR CHILDREN WITH DOWN SYNDROME focuses on speech and language development from birth through the stage of making 3-word phrases, which is often around kindergarten age, but can occur later. This book offers a wealth of information on intelligibility issues, hearing loss, apraxia (difficulty planning oral-motor movements), and other factors that affect communication for children with Down syndrome. It explains how to prepare for and understand the results of speech-language assessment, and goes on to describe what to expect in the years ahead when a child enters elementary school.

Throughout the new edition, the author incorporates the latest research on Down syndrome and communication development. She has added new chapters on high- and low-tech augmentative and alternative communication options, as well as articulation and literacy (how reading aids in the learning of language, speech, and auditory skills). New checklists on evaluating and treating speech problems, and numerous home activities designed to help children master each stage of communication development have also been added.