Speech and Language Therapy - Communication advice for children with Down's Syndrome

How can I support my child’s communication?

Use communication strategies within your everyday routine, such as bath time, mealtimes and when out and about.

Research shows interactions between parent and child can happen less when your child has Down’s syndrome.

You can help by using the following strategies during any interaction you have with your child.

Reinforce words during your everyday activities, for example action words such as ‘wash’, ‘splash’ and ’dry’ can be used during bath time as well as naming the parts of the body as you wash and dry them.

Watch your child’s behaviour very closely and respond to their ways of communicating

Your child may be smiling, making noises, looking and/or gesturing. Copy your child. If they are interested in something, use words/sign to label this.

During activities, watch your child very closely because their attempts to communicate can be more subtle or take longer.

When your child tries to communicate, respond enthusiastically

Smile, use lots of facial expressions, vary the tone of your voice and use gesture/ signs. Being animated will help your child to pay attention to your facial expressions, words and gestures.

Use lots of repetition. When your child communicates, copy what they have said or done

For example, if your child is interested in a dog and says “d” (or any other sound), repeat back, “Yes, dog!”. Do the same thing with gestures and signs.

If your child tries to speak or sign but it’s not quite right, respond by saying the correct word and making the sign.

Get down to your child’s level

This helps you to see what your child is watching and interested in. It also helps your child to focus on you, listen and pick up on cues, like your facial expression and how your lips and tongue move when you make sounds, talk and sing.

Use simple and clear language and break down your questions or instructions

Children with Down's syndrome often find it difficult to remember and act upon more than one piece of information at a time. So, keep your language and instructions simple. Break down longer instructions into just one part. Remember to get your child’s attention before giving an instruction.

Check if your child has understood your question or instruction

You can check understanding by watching your child to see where they look, what they reach for or says/sign. Think about why your child might not understand. For example, is it because you used new vocabulary, that your child was distracted, or that your sentence was too long or complex?

Give your child extra time to respond

Watch carefully, pause and wait when interacting with your child. It may take your child longer to process what they see and hear. It may also take them longer to respond by moving, gesturing, signing, vocalising or speaking.

Always give your child extra time and slow down your own talking too.

Children with Down’s syndrome are good visual (seeing) learners and often have poor auditory (hearing) learning skills

Using visual information means your child will be able to spend longer taking in what is being said because visual information lasts longer than just spoken information. Visual supports can help your child’s understanding as well as help your child to learn to communicate.

You can use gestures, objects, pictures and photos alongside speech with your child. You can also learn a signing system, e.g. ‘Signalong’. To support communication skills, introduce signing to your child from an early age. There is no research to suggest that signing reduces spoken language.

Create opportunities for your child to communicate

By pausing during interactions, you can give your child an opportunity to communicate with you. For example, during a bubble’s activity, pause and silently count to 15. This will give your child an opportunity to indicate to you that they want ‘more’.

Give choices to your child. For example, if working on his understanding of 'teddy' you can ask your child: 'Would you like the teddy or the cup?'.

Does my child need specialist support?

Speech and Language Therapy

Refer your child if they:

• show difficulties with their eating and drinking (chewing and swallowing)
• are regularly experiencing chest infections
• are not babbling by the age of 9 months
• are not following simple instructions by the age of 24 months
• are not using single words by 24 months

If your child is not turning to sounds of voices a referral to the Audiology Team may be appropriate.

For further information please visit the following websites:

The Down’s Syndrome Association Website:

www.downs-syndrome.org.uk

Call their helpline: 0333 1212 300

National Down Syndrome Society

Website: www.ndss.org

Speak Up Salford

Website: www.speakupsalford.nhs.uk Call our helpline: 0161 206 2509 Email: speakup.salford@nca.nhs.uk