Down's

Home

Chat

Blogs

Collection

Directory

Home : 2001 : July : 17

Down's
By KimW

Each Down's child is special in their own way. No two are anywhere alike in their abilities. As far as what modifications to make, it depends on the child. Some Down's children need more than others while some are close
to the average child on development. You should work with a local sp. ed. teacher about each individual and their capabilities. All to often children with Down's are labeled as "incapable" and their education is modified before the teacher knows what the child can or cannot do. My best friend's Down Syndrome child is 2 years old. There are some things she can't do that an average 2

year old can. However, there are many things that she CAN do that the average 2 year old cannot. The DOwn's child in your class may not be able to write cursive b/c their fingers restrict movement, but that doesn't AUTOMATICALLY mean that he/she can't read or multiply. My point is this - just b/c a child has Down's doesn't mean that they AUTOMATICALLY NEED modifications. Just like you have to get to know your "average" children to know what their needs are, you should get to know the Down's child before you modify their education. I'm not saying that he/she won't need modifications; they might. But you cannot know what modifications to make without knowing the child's abilities.
KimW