Communication

Leaflet for Parents

• The role of the Speech and Language Therapist for babies and pre-school children who have Down Syndrome from the DSA.
• The role of the Speech and Language Therapist for primary school-aged children who have Down Syndrome.

Speech and Language Therapy (SLT)

Ensure the child is known to the Inclusive Education team/Educational psychologist (through the Early Years SEND Team, usually), but can also be referred by letter to Barnet-based SEN and EP teams, separately.

If concerns about social communication (a small number of children with DS can have a dual diagnosis with ASD), discuss with other professionals and family about referral to TASC forum (Team Assessing Social Communication) and usually the child's community paediatrician takes the lead here (referral via TASC form or through child development team referral, can also discuss with the lead for the ASD pathway at Barnet CDT, see Barnet Child Development Team Referral for contact details and forms).

If the health visitor has concerns, they need to directly liaise with our paediatric SLT team.

At the 2-year review, refer to Speech and language therapy if not already known to them (sometimes they will have been known by the paediatric dysphagia team, which is run by speech and language therapists with a feeding specialism, but they also need to be referred to the other part of their team, the Speech and Language service). Use the form from Barnet Child Development Team Referral.

Resources

• Websites:
  • Language Pathway page on the Whittington NHS website.
  • Speech, language and communication page on the Down's Syndrome Association website.
  • SLT combined toolkit - Professor Sue Buckley, Dr Kelly Burgoyne, in collaboration with Lancashire and South Cumbria Foundation Trust SLT team.
• Books:
  • “Helping Children to Speak: Down Syndrome Through the Primary School Years (March 2020)”, by Karen Massey - A book that aims to help parents - and professionals - support their child with Down Syndrome communication skills through the Primary School years, from age 3 to age 11. It is written after several years of real-life therapy, training and research. The book includes stories, goals, therapy techniques and top tips.
  • “Down Syndrome, Current Perspectives”, by Richard Newton, Shiela Puri and Liz Marder.
  • “Nobody ever told me that!” by Diane Bahr - Everything from bottles and breathing to Healthy Speech Development.
• Apps:
  • Proloquo2go - The world's most popular AAC app for iPad and iPhone
    Proloquo2Go is an award-winning AAC app that enables nonspeaking children and adults to express themselves confidently and initiate conversations. Trusted by hundreds of thousands worldwide, it is highly flexible and can be personalised to meet individual needs.
  • GRID (Used by NHS) - GRID is used by children and adults with communication difficulties worldwide to have a voice and live more independently, available on Windows and iPad.
• Makaton:
  • Signing through BIG-DS (Barnet Integrated Group for Down Syndrome) at the weekly Underhill groups or other local signing groups, usually in children's centres.
  • Something Special: Mr Tumble and other programmes on CBeebies.
  • Makaton website.
  • Singing Hands website.
• Programs for Speech and Language Delay:
  • The Hanen Program - The Hanen Program® for Parents of Children with Language Delays. This program is well-known, and some SLTs use or refer to it. The Hanen Centre began its work with a focus on early language intervention for children with language delays. There are several programs for different children for parents, and for professionals to access. Programs such as Communication Development in Children with Language Delays and It Takes Two To Talk - Hanen Program for Parents of Children with Language Delays. The It Takes Two to Talk Program is designed specifically for parents of young children (birth to 5 years of age) who have been identified as having a language delay. In a small, personalised group setting, parents learn practical strategies to help their children learn language naturally throughout their day together.