Helping Children with Down Syndrome Communicate Better: Speech and Language Skills for Ages 6-14 (Topics in Down Syndrome) [Paperback]

Libby Kumin (Author), Ph.D. (Author), CCC-SLP (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 29, 2008 | Series: Topics in Down Syndrome

As children with Down syndrome reach age 6 they encounter more complex speech and language demands in their learning and relationships with others. This is when gaps in communication abilities between children with Down syndrome and their typically developing peers begin to widen. Helping Children with Down Syndrome Communicate Better provides parents and professionals with the information and resources they need to improve their child s communication at school, at home, and in the wider community.
Written by Dr. Libby Kumin, an expert in Down syndrome and communication, this is the only book about speech and language issues for children with Down syndrome ages 6-14, and is the sequel to Early Communication Skills for Children with Down Syndrome. Encouraging and parent-friendly, it covers the scope of speech and language issues important for this age group, from understanding language pragmatics to building conversation skills and from using augmentative and alternative communication systems to improving speech intelligibility. Chapters include case studies, research, home and school activities for practice, and present:

The distinctions between language and speech

Factors that make speech and language difficult (articulation, grammar, fluency)

The evaluation process (school or private evaluation)

Assessment of language and speech skills

Language treatment (grammar, vocabulary, reading)

Speech treatment (articulation, fluency, apraxia)

Communication skills at school

Communication skills at home & in the community

Conversational skills (how to start & end conversations, take turns, stay on topic)

Assistive technology for communication (assessing need, types of augmentative or alternative communication, the right match for your child)

A suggested reading list, resource guide, and appendices (sample evaluations and blank forms) complement the wealth of practical suggestions and strategies in Helping Children with Down Syndrome Communicate Better. Parents, therapists, and teachers will want to refer to it often to help children make communication progress and participate fully in their lives.

Editorial Reviews

Review

‘There is no one Down syndrome profile when it comes to communication skills,' espouses author Libby Kumin in this sequel to her Early Communication Skills for Children with Down Syndrome. Part of the Topics in Down Syndrome series, this guide for parents and professionals offers an overview of the wide variety of speech and language difficulties in children with Down syndrome, aged six to fourteen. It continues with a discussion of speech-language evaluation and eligibility and what children will typically work on while in therapy with a speech-language pathologist.

 

Kumin also believes that 'language is part of daily living and is best practiced during real life,' and suggests teamwork among the family, speech-language pathologist, and teacher. To build up this team, she provides strategies for classroom teachers, such as modifications that help students with Down syndrome follow spoken instruction or feel included in conversations. For families, the author presents a wealth of home activities. Ranging from vocabulary building and verb tenses to sound production and voice to facial expressions and turn taking, which go beyond traditional therapy lessons.

 

A professor in the Department of Speech-Language Pathology/Audiology at Loyola University where she founded the Down Syndrome Center for Excellence, and a national speaker, Kumin draws on over twenty years of experience working with babies, children, adolescents, and adults with Down syndrome and their families. This leading expert has also written Classroom Language Skills for Children with Down Syndrome and produced What Did You Say? DVD: A Guide to Speech Intelligibility in People with Down Syndrome.

 

Integrating the latest research, therapies in speech-language therapy, and assistive technology, Kumin adds to this practical and invaluable handbook with quick lists, sample worksheets, evalutions, reports, and surveys; an extensive Resource Guide with related organizations and websites; and eye-catching photographs of children with Down syndrome at school, at home, and in the community. Although her information is authoritative, the text is easy to read and the author’s tone is always encouraging and supportive. Her 10 Tips for Nurturing Your Child’s Communication Skills should become a mantra for all families and professionals working with children with Down syndrome. If helping these children communicate better is the goal, then this book is the guiding path.

ForeWord Magazine, January/February 2009

 

Libby Kumin is an expert in communication and Down syndrome, a teacher and an advocate. Kumin has extensive experience in working with people with DS of all ages and is familiar with common (and less common) challenges that occur and how to address them. She is a teacher, and writes thorough, detailed explanations, as if anticipating and answering questions readers might have. Kumin is also an advocate, and troubleshoots for parents advocating for school services by giving examples of roadblocks they might encounter and provides a roadmap to make detours to continue down the path of improving your child’s speech and language. Kumin provides numerous activities and games that parents and professionals can use to help 6-14 year olds improve their communication.

Down Syndrome News, Volume 31, #7

 

Written for both parents and professionals, the book provides in depth information on the communication challenges of Down syndrome children from the ages of 6-14. A wealth of information is provided to help parents and professionals help Down syndrome children develop strong communication skills.

CAPHIS Consumer Connections

About the Author

Libby Kumin, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is a professor in the Department of Speech-Language Pathology/Audiology at Loyola College in Maryland, where she founded the Down Syndrome Center for Excellence. She is the author of Early Communication Skills for Children with Down Syndrome and Classroom Language Skills for Children with Down Syndrome, and the writer and producer of a DVD, What Did You Say?, all published by Woodbine House. A frequent speaker at professional and parent conferences across the country, Dr. Kumin works extensively with infants, toddlers, children, adolescents, and adults with Down syndrome and their families.

Product Details

• Paperback: 350 pages
• Publisher: Woodbine House (August 29, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1890627542
• ISBN-13: 978-1890627546
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #89,936 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A valuable supplement for anyone teaching communication skills to young people with different types of mental handicaps, October 7, 2008

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Helping Children with Down Syndrome Communicate Better: Speech and Language Skills for Ages 6-14 (Topics in Down Syndrome) (Paperback)

Dr. Libby Kumin, an expert on Down syndrome and communication, presents Helping Children with Down Syndrome Communicate Better: Speech and Language Skills for Ages 6-14, a guide for both parents and professionals to helping young people develop their speech, language, and communication skills. Chapters discuss the factors that make speech and language difficult, especially for children with Down syndrome; how to assess language and speech skills; language and speech treatments; fostering conversational skills; and much more. Black-and-white photographs, anecdotes, home activities for practicing communication skills and more enhance this user-friendly compendium. A "must-have" for educators and parents responsible for a child with Down syndrome, Helping Children with Down Syndrome Communicate Better is also a valuable supplement for anyone teaching communication skills to young people with different types of mental handicaps.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Was okay, October 24, 2008

By 

Philip Imperial - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Helping Children with Down Syndrome Communicate Better: Speech and Language Skills for Ages 6-14 (Topics in Down Syndrome) (Paperback)

It was fine. Not the best but okay. It would have been better if the author gave a little more detail as to what the underlying issue is. It would make the recommendations make more sense.