Key Topics: Supporting the development of infants with Down syndrome
from birth to 3 years
This page provides the planned programme and session
summaries for the Supporting the development of infants with Down
syndrome from birth to 3 years training course.
Introduction
This training course provides a range of keynote and a series of
parallel workshops covering the wide range of issues affecting the
development of infants with Down syndrome.
Each workshop aims to provide practical approaches to promoting
development, presenting evidence-based strategies and techniques
wherever possible.
Parallel sessions
Delegates may select from the parallel sessions to tailor the course
content to best meet their needs. We recommend that organisations
consider sending two members of staff so they can attend all parallel
sessions to ensure full coverage of all issues raised.
Please note: delegates will receive a course booklet that will
include summaries of the content of all parallel sessions, not just the
ones attended.
Programme
Content of each session
Keynote
1. Evidence-based effective early
intervention: the specific needs of children with Down syndrome
- A summary of the research findings on the specific social and
cognitive profile associated with Down syndrome
- The implications of this profile for planning early intervention
programmes and therapies
- Research evidence for the effectiveness of this approach for
improving the speech, language and cognitive progress of children
with Down syndrome
Parallel workshops
2a. Supporting speech, language,
communication and memory development
- Understanding the speech, language and communication needs of
children with Down syndrome - what research tells us
- Supporting speech and language development from the first year
of life
- Activities for communication, speech-motor, vocabulary and
sentence learning
- Setting targets and recording progress
- Understanding working memory and its importance for language
development
- Activities to improve memory skills from the first year of life
- Working with the speech and language therapist
- How do families adjust to the birth of a child with Down
syndrome
- What does research tell us about coping, stress and long-term
outcomes? Practical implications for families and services
- Families and their role in early intervention - using the Early
Support materials
- Maintaining the right priorities - "it's OK to say no!"
- The evidence for visual learning strengths and using print to
teach talking
- When to start and how to introduce print
- Using reading activities to continue to develop speech and
language
- see and learn materials available to support this
approach
- The main healthcare needs associated with Down syndrome
- How to identify them and where to find help
- Recognising the effects of health needs and sensory impairments
on development
- What can we do to compensate for them?
- Understanding social and emotional development and its links
with all aspects of development
- Encouraging social and emotional development, self-regulation,
independence and self-confidence from early
- Encouraging age-appropriate behaviour
- Understanding the reasons for inappropriate behaviour
- Basic strategies for changing behaviour
- Research into motor development - the myth of hypotonia
- Developing motor skills in the first year of life
- Continuing to develop fine and gross motor skills - the role of
practice and experience
- Encouraging independence - dressing, mealtimes, toileting
- Working with the occupational and physiotherapist
- Learning through play
- Using scaffolding and errorless learning approaches
- Encouraging exploration and social play
- Using music and singing
5b. Preparation and planning for
inclusion in child-care and early years settings
- Developing an inclusive early years setting
- Planning and procedures that need to be in place
- Tools to support development - CSIE Index for Inclusion
- Planning for the individual child
- Working in partnership with support services
Please note: Down Syndrome Education Internationalreserves the
right to alter this planned programme and the content of each session,
if necessary, in order to provide the best possible service to the
delegates booked into any one training event.
How to book
To book a place on this training course, contact us by
email or telephone.