Update on Luke's day care

[Alice]

It has been only 4 days since Luke started his day care.
First 3 days were difficult for him, teachers, and peers and I was upset.
He was a bit aggressive with kids (which never happened to him before). Finally we had figure it out: he had a little nap in the bus between preschool and day care, so he did not have enough rest.
Today a bus aide did not let him to sleep, so he was very different at day care. I am less nervous now.
Teachers are trying really hard. I had brought them most common sign language pictures and they learn it with other kids (can you believe that?), so Luke could communicate.

They have a girl with DS, she is so sweet and she is talking very well (even she is one year younger than Luke). I still believe that speech problems is common between boys with DS.

Also, teachers asked me to give them some extra material about DS, they want to learn more. I am trying to find something simple but with good info.

What would you recommend?

[updowns]

Sounds great Alice, they really want to get to know Luke and help him fit in, you are so lucky to have eventually found such a great place.

Stella

[Emilysmom]

Alice,
I'm glad to hear it's going fairly well now, and I hope it will just get better and better each day!

I would recommend that you suggest Len Leshin's website, but not sure you'd want the teacher to end up at Uno Mas!

[andrewsmom]

I'm playing catch up on posts so I'm sorry I haven't responded before. I'm glad your new daycare is going so well. It helps alot that the teachers are willing to put in the effort also. I'm glad you found this place. Good luck!!

-Trisha

[momofrussell]

Well, there is always going to be adjustments... but I think you all are off to a collective good start! Do they want some BOOK on DS? specific things about DS? There are different things you could give them... books, online articles... there are those books you can even get online and in the stores.. "communication and ds" kinda thing...what are they looking for?

Good luck with it all!

A.

[ValerieC]

Sounds like a positive start Alice!

[wrblack]

Dr. Leshin's lists of books might be helpful. From www.ds-health.com/books2.htm
here are two titles by Libby Kumin,


Early Communication Skills for Children with Down Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals
by Libby Kumin. Woodbine House, 2003
This volume replaces Libby Kumin' 1994 work on communication skills in young children with Down syndrome. Updated and expanded, this book "focuses on speech and language development from birth through the stage of making 3-word phrases."

Classroom Language Skills for Children with Down Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Teachers
by Libby Kumin. Woodbine House, 2001
"This guide offers parents an in-depth overview of their child’s language skills in school, while providing teachers and SLPs with useful ideas and adaptations that will help them meet the communication needs of their students with Down syndrome."

And then, thanks to Google, just found a handy guide from New South Wales,
www.dsansw.org.au/publications/Preschooler.html

-- Regards,
Bob