Baby activities DVD praised in Nursery World
The Down Syndrome Educational Trust's Development in Practice film on Activities
for Babies with Down syndrome has been praised as being "useful on
many levels" and full of "good practical advice" in a feature article
in Nursery World magazine.
A developmental journey to watch
The Trust's Development in Practice film on Activities for Babies with Down
syndrome illustrates a wide variety of practical activities which can all
be incorporated into everyday routines, whether a child is at home with parents
or in a preschool setting.
The edition of Nursery World magazine published on 9-16th August 2007 contained
an in-depth feature about Down syndrome, focusing on this 77-minute DVD resource.
The article - titled 'Full potential' - contained an extremely positive
review of the DVD by Helen Norris. Helen is head of Preschool Support Services for
Bromley, Kent, and is also the parent of a young adult with Down syndrome. She starts
her review by unequivocally recommending the film:
"I only wish it had been available when my son was born. It would have made
a world of difference."
Helen particularly praises the way the film shows babies of all ages and stages
of development:
"What I really like about this DVD is that none of the babies' ages are
given, so parents and daycare staff who see it watch a developmental journey, rather
than being forced to compare how well their child is doing in relation to anyone
else's"
She also states that the film is useful on many levels is relevant for all practitioners
working with children who have special needs, not just babies with Down syndrome.
For experienced staff, she believes the DVD serves as a reminder of the skills and
strategies they need to use if they are to help babies with Down syndrome and special
needs develop to their full potential.
For less experienced staff and parents experiencing Down syndrome for the first
time, she believes the film contains plenty of good practical advice that will not
only allow them to give their children the best start but will also help them feel
less vulnerable:
"Parents who are new to Down syndrome often initially feel helpless that there
is nothing they can do. This DVD clearly shows that the future isn't bleak and
that there is plenty they can do from day one to help their child develop"
"We will certainly be using it as part of our staff training and we will be
making it available to our Early Support and Portage teams so that they can get
it to parents from the time of earliest referral of their child, along with the
Early Support materials."
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