Meeting the Needs of Children and Families

ECEP 233

Junnifer Villanueva

A family has a 5 year old boy named Jack. He is in the kindergarten program. Jack was born with Down Syndrome. He has very little speech and appears to be very outgoing and friendly. The family are new to Toronto.

It seems that the family needs some services for Jack’s speech and social development. It appears that his parents need financial and moral support.

What is Down Syndrome?

Down Syndrome is a genetic condition that causes delays in physical and intellectual development. It occurs in approximately 1 every 800 live births. Individuals with Down Syndrome have 47 chromosomes instead of the usual 46.

Three Types of Down Syndrome

1. Non-disjunction Down Syndrome (also known as Trisomy 21 ).

2. Mosaicism Down Syndrome (2-4% of cases)

3. Translocation Down Syndrome

How it is diagnosed or detected?

Down Syndrome is usually identified at birth and diagnosed based on physical characteristics and must be confirmed by a chromosome study called karyotype.

Characteristics of Down SyndromeA flattened appearance to

the face.A smaller head,

proportionately.An upward slant to the eyes.A narrow slit to the eyes.Pronounced bags or folds

under the eyes.A small, depressed nose.Small ears.A small mouth.A large or protruding

tongue.

A short neckLarge space between

the first and second toe.

A single deep crease at the center of the palm.

Poor muscle tone (hypotonia)

Loose joints (hyperflexability)

Weak reflexes

Myths vs. Facts Myth: Children with down syndrome are born to women over 35. Fact: Women under 35 years of age give birth to more than 80% of children

with disabiliites. Myth: Children with Down Syndrome all look alike and have passive , loving

personalities. Fact: While individuals with Down syndrome do have some physical

features in common, they resemble their families in appearance and temperament much more than they do each other.

Myth: Children with Down syndrome don't live very long. Fact: Approximately 30 - 40% of individuals with Down syndrome are born

with heart defects and some have congenital - anomalies. Many of these defects are now correctable by surgery. The majority of individuals with Down syndrome are expected to live an average life span.

Myth: Children with Down syndrome will never grow up to be independent. Fact: Parents and society are coming to understand the aspirations of

persons with Down syndrome to participate in all aspects of community life: education, recreation, employment, social and family life.

Meeting the needs in the child care centre

It appears that Jack needs speech, physical and cognitive development and here are some of the strategies I can suggest that might be helpful for Jack and his family in school and at home.

Speech and sign language development.Using the adaptive play materials.Using prompting, cuing and fading strategy.ReinforcementTask analysis

Continuation of meeting needs in the child care centre

Classroom LayoutsUsing the Direct and

Indirect Guidance Strategies

Agencies and Resources

Ontario Tax Credit You and your family

may be eligible for other Ontario tax credits.

Visit ontario.ca/taxcredits to learn more.

Ontario Disability Support Program

The Ontario Disability Support Program helps people with disabilities who are in financial need pay for living expenses, like food and housing.

Ministry of Children and Youth Services

Toronto Region477 Mount Pleasant Road 3rd floor Toronto, Ontario M7A 1G1 Tel.: (416) 325-0500TTY: (416) 325-3600Fax: (416) 325-0565

Website: www.children.gov.on.ca/

Down Syndrome Association of Toronto

Telephone:(416) 966-0990

Fax:(416) 966-3962

Email: info@dsat.ca

Website: www.dsat.ca

Service Area: Toronto

Rumball Family Resource Centre/

Ontario Early Years Centre:   

The Ontario Early Years Centre at the Bob Rumball Centre for the Deaf is a free drop-in playgroup which provides a fun and interactive environment where Deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing parents and caregivers connect with one another and learn about new ways to stimulate their child’s development.   Children ages birth to 6 years will learn through play, developing social skills and emotional security. Staff communicate in American Sign Language and English.

Website: www.bobrumball.org/

Family Communication Program

A Deaf teacher will come to a home to teach a hearing family with a Deaf child American Sign Language and provide information about the Deaf Community/Culture.Cost:Families are charged a registration fee of $100.00.  Subsidies are available upon request.

Website: http://silentvoice.ca/

Saturday Speech, Drama and Social Skills Club

Yonge & St. Clair area 48 Chopin Blvd., Thornhill ON L4J

8Y6

Each participant is seen individually for Speech Therapy while the remainder of the group is busy dancing, singing, acting out stories, cooking, playing co-operative games, dressing up, role playing…

Fee: $ 670.00

tgasee@hotmail.com Tel. No. 905-326-9616

Easter Seals

Access to 2 Entertainment Card

http://www.access2card.ca/

Disability Travel Card

For all Travel Card inquires please contact us at 416-932-8382, or toll free number is 1-877-376-6362 x 224

Fee: $20.00 (good for 5 years)

Reflection

Bibliography Inclusion of Children with Special Needs – Reading Package Part One by Chris Cadieux Class hand outs Personal images of my son Ryan and Jeffrey Reynolds, Eleanor, Guiding Young Children, Fourth Edition, Mc Graw Hill, 2008,2001,

1996, 1990. www.connectability.ca http://www.children.gov.on.ca/ http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/taxcredits/index.html http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/en/mcss/programs/social/odsp/ www.dsat.ca www.silentvoice.ca www.bobrumball.org/ tgasee@hotmail.com http://www.easterseals.org/services/resource-links http://www.ndss.org/Down-Syndrome/Down-Syndrome-Facts/ http://voices.yahoo.com/down-syndrome-information-characteristics-down-55099.html http://www.dsat.ca/about/what-is-the-down-syndrome http://www.ndss.org/Down-Syndrome/Down-Syndrome-Facts/#sthash.0zecP5Ee.dpuf