Children with Down syndrome have a wide range of speech and language abilities, and most need the help of a speech-language pathologist (SLP) beginning at birth to maximize communication development. Early Communication Skills for Children with Down Syndrome explains the role of a SLP, the stages of communication development, and how certain characteristics of Down syndrome, such as low muscle tone, hearing loss, and cognitive delays, can slow progression of those skills. An expanded edition of Communication Skills in Children with Down Syndrome, Early Communication Skills for Children offers parents a wealth of information on intelligibility issues, hearing loss, apraxia (difficulty planning oral-motor movements), and other factors that affect communication for children with Down syndrome. It explains how to prepare for and understand the results of a speech-language assessment, and goes on to describe what to expect in the years ahead when a child enters

Includes new checklists on evaluating and treating speech problems, and numerous home activities designed to help children master each stage of communication development.