Wednesday, May 28, 2014

The Importance of Child Speech Pathology for Children with Down Syndrome

Child speech pathology plays a crucial role in the development of kids with Down syndrome. Because speech and language development are central to the cognitive development of all children, some experts agree that the faster children with Down syndrome get to talk, the quicker they will improve in all areas of social and cognitive development.


According to speech language pathology experts, research and clinical experiences have shown that children with Down syndrome have areas of language that are difficult and easy for them. For instance, they have strengths in the area of vocabulary and pragmatics, or social interactive language. They also have good social interactive skills and they usually use gestures and facial expressions to communicate and interact with people.

However, most of them have difficulties dealing with syntax and morphology. Child speech pathology experts said children with Down syndrome often face challenges when it comes to grammar, verb tenses, and word endings, probably because of their complex and abstract nature. Some of them even use shorter sentences to communicate.  There are also instances where children have what the experts call as the "receptive-expressive gap," in which a child can understand much more than what he can express.

These areas are what child speech pathology practitioners are addressing. Since the children have an uneven profile of social, cognitive, and language development, SLPs are seeking ways to fill these gaps so kids with Down syndrome can develop a very important skill—the ability to effectively communicate and express themselves—and lead productive and meaningful lives without being hampered down by their condition.

As mentioned earlier, speech and language and development are crucial to the development of children, regardless of whether they have neural disorders or not. Words equal knowledge and the faster a child learns about language and vocabulary, the faster he or she can acquire knowledge about the world. Speech language pathology experts also stressed out the importance of language in children's social development as it enables them to better express themselves, control their behaviour, and interact with others.

With their knowledge, skills, and years of training, child speech pathology experts will be able to effectively guide children with Down syndrome so they can learn language and vocabulary faster. They can also educate parents so they can raise their children properly and contribute to their progress, instead of interfering with them. This way, the children will be able to show remarkable improvement both in their social and cognitive skills. So if you want what's best for your child, you should consult a speech pathology Brisbane practice that will provide him with the kind of treatment and guidance he requires.

No comments:

Post a Comment