What can parents and specialists do for children with Down syndrome?

The importance of knowing how to deal with them

Knowing the appropriate way to deal with children with Down syndrome is essential in determining the content of the special education program for the child and the services that can be provided to his family.

Discovering the abilities and talents of these children

Children with Down syndrome are like other children; they have their own personalities and several abilities. They also have emotions like pride, happiness, fear and frustration, and among them, we can find the shy one and the bold one.

We often find children with Down syndrome in regular education classes, and most of them show the ability to learn reading, writing and mathematics. They only need special help in some of these areas. Some of them reach university education.

These children are of different talents and strengths; some have special talents in music and various arts, and some excel in sports. In addition, with appropriate vocational training, they can be prepared for a normal life and suitable jobs.

Protecting them from bullying

Children with Down syndrome often get bullied and ridiculed; they experience society and people rejection. Many people believe that they cannot work or take care of themselves, which causes them severe psychological harm that negatively affects their self-esteem, as what happens to anyone who suffers from social rejection. Therefore, it is important to protect them from bullying, and to provide them with appropriate support.

Necessary support:

1- Medical support must be provided to the child.

2 – Developing a special program (medical, educational and social) to help him reach his maximum potential.

3- Communicating with early intervention services, which provide occupational, physical, and speech therapy, which are often of low-cost or free.

4- Providing educational support to the child, through his participation in school, and this needs a team of teachers and school counselors that work together, To ensure that the child receives all the academic and social support he or she needs through an individual educational plan, which is arranged with the school and that meets the child’s learning needs with a regular follow up every year.

5- Teaching them social skills through practicing them, such as:

  A – How to make new friends, because they suffer from dealing with their peers. They should be taught friendly and unfriendly actions, how to smile, and use of nice expressions.

B – Training them how to start a conversation.

C – Teaching them how to deal with painful or hurtful behaviors, and what they can do if someone is not nice to them.

Stick to the routine:

Routine is important for children with Down syndrome, because they have a problem receiving and remembering complex verbal directions, so it is recommended to stick to the routine and talk to them in short phrases, which makes it easier for them to avoid any negative behavior, and get prepared for the next thing they will have to do.

Promote positive behavior

 Praising good behavior is a strong motivator for children, because praising the child immediately gives him a positive feeling, and makes him relate between it and the behavior he has just done. When the child shows positive behavior; Like collecting toys when they are done playing, or even eating their food, it is important to let them know that they have done a good job to repeat it.

Giving them the opportunity to choose (with parental consent)

Giving children the opportunity to choose helps them feel empowered, and also reduces negative behavior. This is done by allowing the child to choose between items without forcing choices on them, so that these choices can be simple; Such as choosing what he eats, or choosing the clothes he likes to wear.

Providing the necessary support to the family

It is natural for parents to become anxious and fearful for their child with Down syndrome, so all possible assistance should be provided to them through friends, family and specialists. They should increase their theoretical and practical knowledge of how to deal with their child and how to recharge their energies and get rid of the negative feelings that hinder them from providing appropriate care for their child.

To achieve this, they can be helped by setting up a recreational sports program for parents, such as walking, reading a book, or taking a walk away from home for a period of time, to get relaxed and comfortable; together with spending time with their friends, taking care of health through exercise, eating healthy food, and developing life skills necessary to deal with daily stresses