Happy Halloween!

Would love to see pictures of your kiddos in their Halloween costumes!
Here is Mr. Sam.

I'm Down With You

Hi Everybody,

Please check out this website, this man is truly amazing. He sees the beauty in our children that so many people miss.

Angie

Inspiration

The Buddy Walk was once again a huge success and it couldn’t have been done without the love and support of the family and friends of our kids at the DSC. The incredible amount of money that was raised this year not only tells me that these kids are touching their communities in a positive way, but that people are seeing what the DSC is doing, and want to give back.

For those of you that might have shared your first Buddy Walk experience with us this year, there are some fun facts that you might not know about it.
• The Buddy Walk® was established by the National Down Syndrome Society in 1995 to celebrate Down Syndrome Awareness Month in October.
• The Buddy Walk® has three primary goals:
o To promote acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome;
o To raise funds locally and nationally for education, research and advocacy programs; and
o To enhance the position of the Down syndrome community, enabling us to positively influence local and national policy and practice.
• The Buddy Walk® has grown from 17 to more than 275 in 2008 across the country and around the world.
• At least 250,000 people are expected to participate in more than 280 Buddy Walk® events this year.
• Since 1995, more than 2,000,000 people have participated in the Buddy Walk® program.
• Last year alone, the Buddy Walk® raised more than $10.5 million to benefit local programs and services, as well as national education, research and advocacy initiatives.
• The Buddy Walk® program is supported at the national level by the National Down Syndrome Society. Local Buddy Walk® events are organized by NDSS Affiliates, parent support groups, schools, and other interested organizations and individuals.
• Most Buddy Walk® events take place from September through November to recognize Down Syndrome Awareness Month in October.
• John C. McGinley, who plays Dr. Perry Cox in the hit NBC show "Scrubs," is the 2009 National Buddy Walk® Spokesman. Mr. McGinley is both an accomplished actor and the proud father of Max who has Down syndrome.

It takes a lot of people and volunteer hours to make sure this even runs smoothly for all involved. Thank you for those of you who gave.

Would you like to say thank you to someone special for how they contributed to the Buddy Walk? Leave a comment or post!!!

Did you take pics??

While I am processing my pictures from Sunday - I would love to see what pictures you guys got! If you took pictures at the buddy walk on Sunday please post some to share. If you need help on how to do that - just let me know.

Lisa.

Buddy Walk

The 2009 Buddy Walk was a hit! So excited to show everyone the pics I got! Check back soon!

Kate's Behavior Corner

When I started working with children and adults with Down syndrome, there was nary a grey hair on my head, and no wrinkles on my face. I had more bounce in my step, and Martha Hogan and I shared the ability to get up from sitting on the floor with absolutely no effort at all. This is only to let you know it's been a long, long trip with the Down syndrome community.

Partly because I've been around this long, I have the reputation for knowing a great deal about Down syndrome. It's fun to be able to share the information, to put together workshops, classes and handouts that help parents and teachers and the kids themselves. It's wonderful to meet new people of all ages, to find out what new things parents are exploring and then to share that information with another group. The little faces of your children never cease to charm me, and their progress and energy are amazing and heartening. Most importantly, I continue to learn so much from parents and children. Often the learning has something to do with what works for kids or parents, what new technologies, scientific advances, behavioral strategies, teaching methods are proving helpful. Usually I'm learning something about the kids - but when I'm lucky I am learning about myself. Here's the latest thing I'm learning from this work:

A most wonderful possibility exists; instead of working so hard to change how or what a child learns, I could relax into and enjoy what they already know. While I'm offering new information, I could focus instead on changing how I react and what I expect. What about believing that it's perfectly okay to move differently, that toilet training will happen in due time (yes, it really will!) and that taking time to learn and grow is a natural and good way to be? What if I showed someone how to do something new, and then waited to see what they did with that information? What if I acted as if their perspective was just as important as mine?

The most amazing thing about this paradigm shift is that when I apply it to people with disabilities, I am able to apply it to myself. When I accept that another's way of being is fine for them, that they have room for improvement but are really great right now - well, then I can begin to view myself in the same way. What would happen if we turned away from fear and sadness as a motivation for working on ourselves and our children? We could certainly learn better, feel better about ourselves, make better changes, better friendships if we didn't feel the need to 'get fixed' first. What a gift we would give to ourselves and to our children if we accepted that we really are all fine right now!

Special Reads With Natalie

TEACH READING TO LEARNERS WITH DOWN SYNDROME

This Month’s Article:

 HOW TO MOTIVATE YOUR LEARNER TO READ

Natalie Hale Special Reads.com

Special Reads for Special Needs

This one’s easy. We work with whatever floats their boat, whatever fires their jets. What do I mean by that? We begin to teach reading by focusing on topics that they care about more than anything in the world, and work from there.


Particularly with learners who have a reputation for being strong willed (what, my child?) it’s essential to hook their motivation. It’s not an exaggeration to say that engaging motivation is a prerequisite for teaching your learner with Down syndrome to read.


Our children have enough challenges before them; to struggle to read about things which do not interest them in the least is counter-productive. We want to hone in on their absolute favorite things on the planet and work with reading from there.


Are you ready? Good!


We begin by making an “A” list. Start your project by listing three items in each of these categories:
1. favorite people/family members/pets
2. favorite foods
3. favorite toys/ activities/sports.


Your list of 9 topics will vary greatly depending on the age of your learner. Once you’ve completed your list, you’re armed with 9 different routes to the heart of your learner’s reading motivation.


So now what?


Now you begin. This plan, which is research-based and respected as best practice for teaching individuals with Down syndrome to read (regardless of age!), begins with sight words coupled with personal books.


Head to your nearest office supply store and stock up on the following simple items:
1. 5” x 8” blank index cards for making flash cards (if you can’t find blank, use the reverse side of lined index cards)
2. A ream of 110# card stock paper, white (for printing your books)
3. Several red markers: broad or chisel-tipped (for making flash cards)


Your job will be easiest if you have access to a computer and a printer, and I’ll assume you do as we progress through this reading process. But if you don’t, you’ll just write everything by hand.


With your Hot Topic List and your office supplies in hand, you’re going to write your first book.


For this exercise, I’m going to assume that you have an emergent or beginning reader as a student. If your learner is more advanced, simply write your reading books at a more advanced level.


1. Write the text for your first reading book. For a beginning reader, try to limit yourself to a vocabulary list of only 10-15 words. Here is an example of what you might do; keep in mind that each short sentence occupies a page all by itself. I am Joseph. I love my Mama. I love my Daddy. I love Sarah. I love my family. The End. After each short sentence page, the next page turn will reveal a picture all by itself: pictures will be of Joseph, then Mama & Joseph, then Daddy & Joseph, then Sarah & Joseph, then a picture of the whole family. Kids love “The End,” because it gives them a feeling of reading accomplishment and success, so teach those words from the beginning. With this example, you’ve got a total of 11 vocabulary words. Perfect for your first book.

2. Create flash cards for all the words, using your index cards and the red marker. The most effective reading method for learners with Down syndrome uses large red letters, so make your words as large as possible on your 5” x 8” cards. Either print them or computer in red ink, or use your red markers and try to make the letters as uniform and well-formed as you can. You’re after visual clarity, so keep that in mind.

3. Take photos which correspond to your text (digital camera is most convenient if you have one), or use magazine cut-outs if appropriate.

4. Write the text on your computer and print it, with these guidelines:
             a. Set the page setup as landscape
             b. Use 70 to 100 point type, black ink
             c. Use the 110# index paper stock you’ve bought
             d. Print only one short sentence to a page
             e. Assemble your book with NOTHING ever on the left page when you’re looking at a double-spread. The best way to bind it is to take it to an office supply store/kinko’s/etc and ask for “plastic coil binding.” Don’t use “comb binding.” It lasts about 5 minutes in the hands of a child before coming apart.
             f. Assemble it in this way:
                          1. text page on right side page
                          2. turn the page
                          3. picture page illustrating the previous text, on right side page also
                          4. turn the page
                          5. next text page, right side page
                          6. turn the page
                          7. next picture page illustrating the previous text, right side page again
                          8. etc.

 So this is what we’re doing: we are creating a book which is Hot Topic for your learner with Down syndrome, a reading book which is highly motivating and personal. We’re coupling that with your learner’s first reading vocabulary. And we’re going to use the fastest, most effective method for teaching those sight words.


And what’s that method? We call it Fast Flash. It’s simple, astonishingly effective, and has a decades-old track record of success.


Here it is: divide your flash cards into groups of 5 or so; show each set 3-4 times to your learner, calling out the words as you move the cards at a rate of approximately one per second. There are brain-based reasons which support this method, and we’ll cover that in another lesson. But for now, just try it and you’ll believe it!


Then read the book to your learner and enjoy it together. End by showing/calling out the flash cards again, 3 or 4 times in a row, as before. End of session!


A frequent question is: “Does my student have to repeat the word aloud as I flash them?” No. The only requirement is that they look at the cards and listen as you say the word.


As your learner begins to be able to recognize the words, encourage him/her to read the words aloud. Eventually you’ll have an independent reader for this book, and that’s just the beginning.


Many parents and educators have made the amazing discovery that, using this reading method, their learners with Down syndrome grasp and retain all the vocabulary words in as little as a few weeks’ time. When this happens, motivation and excitement are so high that your learner gets on the reading fast track and, with continued reading support, just keeps going.

Natalie Hale Special Reads.com
Special Reads for Special Needs

Ask Dr Trotter

Q: We have an 18 month old son with Down syndrome [DS] who we think is doing well. We read a recommendation on a DS website that all children with DS be screened for celiac disease. Our pediatrician is unsure this recommendation makes sense. Should we do this, and if so, how is it done?

A: Celiac disease is a digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. Children [or adults] who have celiac disease [CD] cannot tolerate a protein called gluten [found in wheat, rye and barley]. When people with CD eat foods or use products containing gluten, their immune system responds by damaging the small intestine, and they become malnourished due to the poor absorption of nutrients. CD is a genetic disease, meaning it runs in families, and can be triggered at any point in the lifespan. CD may be triggered – or become active for the first time – by the introduction of gluten to the diet [typically around 1-2 years of age] or by such diverse events as surgery, pregnancy, viral infection, or severe emotional distress.
There are basically 3 steps necessary for a child to develop CD. First, they need the genetic makeup that makes them susceptible to this disease. Second, the child needs to be exposed to gluten. Third, the “trigger” must occur that allows the immune response to damage the small intestine lining. CD affects people differently. The most common symptoms in childhood include failure to grow, weight loss, excessive gas, recurrent abdominal bloating and pain, and chronic diarrhea, and irritability.
So why is this disease of interest to the DS community? It appears from studies done in the last decade that people with DS are at higher risk to develop CD than the general population. In the United States the general population has between 0.5-1.0% risk of developing CD, while various studies have found a 4-7% risk for children with DS. With our understanding of the increased risk for children with DS, a good deal of discussion is taking place nationally regarding the wisdom of screening all DS children for CD at age 2 years. At this time there is no clear cut recommendation and a number of studies are ongoing.
One of the major problems making the screening recommendation difficult is the difficulty in making the diagnosis of CD. The only absolute way to diagnose CD is through a small bowel biopsy. In children this requires anesthesia and direct endoscopy. Since such a procedure is invasive, expensive, and carries some risk, it is not in the best interest of the child or family to do a biopsy on every child with DS. Recently, research has shown that children with CD have higher than normal levels of certain autoantibodies in their blood. These antibodies can be measured with a simple blood test. Unfortunately these tests are difficult to perform in the laboratory and difficult to interpret. They do, however, give us a reasonable device to identify those patients who should have an intestinal biopsy. The currently recommended tests for this screening include:
Immunoglobulin A [IgA]
anti-tissue transglutaminase [tTGA]
IgA anti-endomysium antibodies [AEA]
Until we resolve the controversial issue of routine screening, I certainly recommend testing all DS children who have any of the clinical signs and symptoms of CD. As CD is a very difficult disease to diagnose and the symptoms overlap with many other medical conditions [irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, iron-deficiency anemia, intestinal infections, and many more], don’t hesitate if CD is one of the possibilities.
Treatment of CD is simple to prescribe and very difficult for children and families to follow…the complete avoidance of gluten. A gluten-free diet includes eliminating all wheat, rye and barley, as well as the many products that have gluten as an ingredient [read a few labels and you will see how prevalent this nutrient is in most of our diets]. I would only start such a diet with the help of a registered dietician

Happy Kids "Chat Room"

Speech and Language…..
Did you know?

Did you know that Picture Exchange Communication Symbols (PECS) are a wonderful way to help your child move from speaking 2-3 word utterances to complete sentences? PECS are picture representations of objects, actions, descriptive concepts, articles, people, as well as all other parts of speech. Each picture is accompanied by the written word. (For example: a picture of a ball would also have the typed word “ball” above it) When a child uses PECS, they learn to combine the pictures together to reflect their thoughts, needs, and questions. So why is this a great system for my child with Down syndrome?

Research estimates that 65-80% of children with DS have conductive hearing loss due to Otitis Media with Effusion (recurrent ear infections with middle ear fluid -without signs/symptoms of ear infection) Other areas of weakness may also include: low tone, decreased cognition, decreased motor planning, limited ability to word find, language delays/disorders as well as sensory processing difficulties. Due to the predisposition to having these difficulties, capitalizing on your child’s visual strengths can greatly expand their language and learning abilities! When the PECS system is used properly, children are given the ability to create simple and complex sentences easily! PECS are also a wonderful tool used to help increase literacy skills! Exposure to whole word reading each time your child is communicating is a great secondary benefit!


A personal account near and dear to my heart lays a perfect example of a success story using the PECS system. I worked with a child in northern Virginia for three years. They were long time members of DSANV (DS Association of Northern Virginia). I started seeing Jenny when she was 7 years old. She was speaking in single words and using gestures. When I began seeing Jenny we worked on: verbal language, building spontaneous vocabulary, working on articulation (pronunciation of sounds) and working on using simple sentences. After three years Jenny’s mom and I had hit a wall with spontaneous verbal language. We worked so hard on spontaneous language; however Jenny would only use approximately 3 word utterances most of the time. We both knew she had the capability of using so much more! It just wasn’t coming out. This is when I attended a PECS training seminar and came back with a whole new system for Jenny. In a matter of ONE therapy session (60 minutes), instead of saying “chips please mommy”, Jenny used her PECS to say verbally/read aloud “I want chips in a bowl please mommy”. Both mom and I were so ecstatic! Using PECS was so simple for Jenny and it empowered her. She was no longer reliant on prompting or yes/no questions. She was able to express herself in an age appropriate way!


PECS is not a system you need to pay for, it’s a program that you start with your speech-language pathologist (SLP). It’s a system that your SLP makes for your child dependent on your parental input and your school’s input. Please feel free to contact me anytime regarding interest in the PECS system. It can help children and adults looking to expand their language. I am always happy to speak with parents about the options best for their children. If you decide you would like to try the PECS system or any other type of speech therapy, the first session is always free of charge.

Please contact me at: happykidstherapy@hotmail.com or cell: (202)425-6874

Heather Peterson, MS SLP-CCC

Speech Language Pathologist

Happy Kids "Chat Room"

Speech and Language…..

Did you know?

Did you know that Picture Exchange Communication Symbols (PECS) are a wonderful way to help your child move from speaking 2-3 word utterances to complete sentences? PECS are picture representations of objects, actions, descriptive concepts, articles, people, as well as all other parts of speech. Each picture is accompanied by the written word. (For example: a picture of a ball would also have the typed word “ball” above it) When a child uses PECS, they learn to combine the pictures together to reflect their thoughts, needs, and questions. So why is this a great system for my child with Down syndrome?
Research estimates that 65-80% of children with DS have conductive hearing loss due to Otitis Media with Effusion (recurrent ear infections with middle ear fluid -without signs/symptoms of ear infection) Other areas of weakness may also include: low tone, decreased cognition, decreased motor planning, limited ability to word find, language delays/disorders as well as sensory processing difficulties. Due to the predisposition to having these difficulties, capitalizing on your child’s visual strengths can greatly expand their language and learning abilities! When the PECS system is used properly, children are given the ability to create simple and complex sentences easily! PECS are also a wonderful tool used to help increase literacy skills! Exposure to whole word reading each time your child is communicating is a great secondary benefit!


A personal account near and dear to my heart lays a perfect example of a success story using the PECS system. I worked with a child in northern Virginia for three years. They were long time members of DSANV (DS Association of Northern Virginia). I started seeing Jenny when she was 7 years old. She was speaking in single words and using gestures. When I began seeing Jenny we worked on: verbal language, building spontaneous vocabulary, working on articulation (pronunciation of sounds) and working on using simple sentences. After three years Jenny’s mom and I had hit a wall with spontaneous verbal language. We worked so hard on spontaneous language; however Jenny would only use approximately 3 word utterances most of the time. We both knew she had the capability of using so much more! It just wasn’t coming out. This is when I attended a PECS training seminar and came back with a whole new system for Jenny. In a matter of ONE therapy session (60 minutes), instead of saying “chips please mommy”, Jenny used her PECS to say verbally/read aloud “I want chips in a bowl please mommy”. Both mom and I were so ecstatic! Using PECS was so simple for Jenny and it empowered her. She was no longer reliant on prompting or yes/no questions. She was able to express herself in an age appropriate way!
PECS is not a system you need to pay for, it’s a program that you start with your speech-language pathologist (SLP). It’s a system that your SLP makes for your child dependent on your parental input and your school’s input. Please feel free to contact me anytime regarding interest in the PECS system. It can help children and adults looking to expand their language. I am always happy to speak with parents about the options best for their children. If you decide you would like to try the PECS system or any other type of speech therapy, the first session is always free of charge.

Please contact me at: happykidstherapy@hotmail.com or cell: (202)425-6874

Heather Peterson, MS SLP-CCC

Speech Language Pathologist