Communication and Language Interventions for Children With Down Syndrome

Delayed and disordered speech and language development are among the primary challenges for young children with Down syndrome. Common sources of these delays include frequent ear infections and fluctuating hearing loss early in life, significant oral motor impairments, and delayed onset of joint attention and related cognitive skills. This chapter is focused on the early childhood period up to 8 years of age because most of the intervention research has been conducted during this period. The review is limited to two types of intervention: milieu teaching (MT) and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) because much of the published research has focused on these two approaches. The review reveals the strengths and weaknesses of the research to date. Four directions for future research are proposed, most importantly combining MT and AAC approaches in a single flexible model of early communication and language intervention for young children with DS.

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Maternal Responsiveness to AAC

Perspectives on Augmentative and Alternative Communication ◽

10.1044/aac19.4.115 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 19 (4) ◽

pp. 115-119 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Kara F. Medeiros ◽

Cynthia J. Cress

Keyword(s):

Developmental Disabilities ◽

Young Children ◽

Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽

Communication Strategy ◽

Maternal Responsiveness ◽

Communication Behavior ◽

Alternative Communication ◽

Early Communication ◽

Aided Aac ◽

Language Measures

Abstract How a mother responds to her young child's early communication behavior has been found to contribute to the children's scores on cognitive and language measures. This effect has been found in both children with and without developmental disabilities. Aided augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) is a communication strategy used with young children with developmental disabilities. Currently, there have been no studies addressing how a mother's play with her children may change when an aided AAC device is added. In this study 25 dyads participated in familiar and unfamiliar to play with and without a BIGmack present. Mothers' responsive and directive behaviors were coded and compared across both types of play. When the two conditions were compared, mothers showed more overall responsiveness to their children's communication when the BIGmack was present. Mothers did not increase their directive behaviors significantly between the two conditions.

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Augmentative and Alternative Communication Supports for Language and Literacy in Preschool: Considerations for Down Syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorder

Seminars in Speech and Language ◽

10.1055/s-0041-1730996 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 42 (04) ◽

pp. 345-362

Author(s):

Andrea Barton-Hulsey ◽

Sarah Phinney ◽

Sara Collins

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Down Syndrome ◽

Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽

Children With Autism ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Small Scale ◽

Language And Literacy ◽

Alternative Communication ◽

Children With Down Syndrome

AbstractChildren with Down syndrome and children with autism spectrum disorder have a range of speech abilities during preschool that impacts access to both language and literacy instruction. It is the responsibility of the speech-language pathologist to advocate for and provide intervention using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) through individualized assessment. This article provides a review of the literature supporting the use of AAC during preschool for both language and literacy development in children with Down syndrome and children with autism spectrum disorder who have limited speech. A small scale exploratory report is discussed to highlight differences in early literacy skills found in children in each group. Implications for AAC intervention during preschool to support both language and literacy are discussed.

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Family Variables and Quality of Life in Children with Down Syndrome: A Scoping Review

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18020419 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (2) ◽

pp. 419

Author(s):

Anna Lee ◽

Kathleen Knafl ◽

Marcia Van Riper

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Down Syndrome ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Personal Development ◽

Well Being ◽

Future Research ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Children With Down Syndrome ◽

Family Variables

The purpose of this scoping review was to identify the family and child quality of life variables that have been studied in relation to one another in children with Down syndrome, the frequency with which different relationships have been studied, and the extent to which family variables were the focus of the research aims. A literature search was conducted to find studies published between January 2007 and June 2018. The initial search yielded 2314 studies; of these, 43 were selected for a final review. Researchers most often addressed family resources and family problem-solving and coping concerning child personal development and physical well-being. Little attention to child emotional well-being was observed, with none considering family appraisal of child emotional well-being. The relationship between family variables and child QoL rarely was the primary focus of the study. Methodologically, most reviewed studies used cross-sectional designs, were conducted in North America and based on maternal report. From future research considering the issues found in this review, healthcare providers can obtain an in-depth understanding of relationships between children and family variables.

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Physiological arousal and observed behaviour in parent–child interactions involving young children with Down syndrome

Journal of Intellectual Disability Research ◽

10.1111/jir.12714 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 64 (6) ◽

pp. 426-433 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

E. Lorang ◽

S. Hartley ◽

A. Sterling

Keyword(s):

Down Syndrome ◽

Young Children ◽

Physiological Arousal ◽

Children With Down Syndrome ◽

Parent Child Interactions ◽

Observed Behaviour ◽

Parent Child

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“My World Has Expanded Even Though I'm Stuck at Home”: Experiences of Individuals With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Who Use Augmentative and Alternative Communication and Social Media

American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology ◽

10.1044/2015_ajslp-15-0010 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 24 (4) ◽

pp. 680-695 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Jessica Caron ◽

Janice Light

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ◽

Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽

Future Research ◽

Loss Of Function ◽

Alternative Communication ◽

Communication Modes ◽

Communication Needs ◽

Use Of Social Media ◽

Lateral Sclerosis

PurposeThis study aimed to expand the current understanding of how persons with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (pALS) use augmentative and alternative communication and social media to address their communication needs.MethodAn online focus group was used to investigate the experiences of 9 pALS who use augmentative and alternative communication and social media. Questions posed to the group related to (a) current use of social media, (b) advantages of social media, (c) barriers to independent use, (d) supports to independent use, and (e) recommendations for developers, policy makers, and other pALS.ResultsParticipants primarily reported that use of social media was a beneficial tool that provided increased communication opportunities, connections to communication partners, and networks of support. Specific results are discussed with reference to the research as well as implications for practice and recommendations for future research.ConclusionsAs individuals with ALS experience loss of function, some communication modes may no longer be viable. Providing access to different modes of communication, including social media, can allow independence, participation and better quality of life.

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