Education and Down syndrome children.

by robc123456789 (student)

University Degree Education and Teaching

Education and Down Syndrome

Robert Campbell

Monmouth University

Abstract

Down Syndrome is a chromosomal disorder. It occurs in about 1 of every 800 births. People with Down syndrome may have mild to severe learning disabilities. Physical symptoms include a small skull, extra folds of skin under the eyes, and a protruding tongue. People with Down syndrome are subject to a variety of medical problems including heart abnormalities and thyroid gland dysfunction. Survival rates have been increased dramatically in recent years as problems specific to Down syndrome become known, allowing the early treatment. The life expectancy of people with Down syndrome now approaches that of people with out it. Usually it’s around 55 years old.

The genetic cause for Down syndrome is when a person inherits all or part of an extra copy of chromosome 21. Trisomy 21, the inheritance of an entire third copy of this chromosome, accounts for 95 percent of Down syndrome cases. Two other abnormalities each account for 2 to 3 percent of all cases. The first, translocation, takes place when a child inherits an extra piece of chromosome 21 attached to a different chromosome. The second, called mosaic Down syndrome, results when only some cells in the body have the extra chromosome. There is no cure for Down syndrome although prenatal tests are available to identify fetuses with the disorder.

Down syndrome can be diagnosed just by looking at the baby at birth. The facial features and characteristics can tell you that. If the attending physician suspects Down syndrome, a karyotype – a blood or tissue sample stained to show chromosomes grouped by size, number, and shape – will be performed to verify the diagnosis. The most familiar physical traits of Down syndrome include: low muscle tone, flat facial profile, upward slant to the eyes, abnormal shape and small size of the ears, single deep crease across the center of the palm, excessive ability to extend the joints, fifth finger has one bending joint instead of two, small skin folds on the inner corners of the eyes, excessive space between large and second toe, and enlargement of tongue in relationship to size of mouth.

The majority of these defects can be corrected, resulting in long-term health improvements. Children with Down syndrome also tend to have increased susceptibility to infection, respiratory problems, obstructed digestive tracts, and childhood leukemia. With Down syndrome there is no therapy except some of the defects listed above can be corrected like I stated. But the features of the face remain and cannot be fixed unlike the other ones that can be fixed. There would be no therapy in the future that I can find in my research.

Yes, it is possible to detect Down syndrome when the infant is in ...

This is a preview of the whole essay

Yes, it is possible to detect Down syndrome when the infant is in the uterus. You can do so by screening tests like the Triple Screen and the Alpha-fetoprotein Plus. Both tests measure quantities of various substances in the mother’s blood, and together with the woman’s age, estimate her risk of having a child with Down syndrome. Typically they are offered between 15 and 20 weeks of pregnancy. More accurate are diagnostic tests, which include chorionic villus sampling, amniocentesis, and percutaneous umbilical blood sampling. While these procedures are about 98% to 99% accurate in their detection of Down syndrome there is an increased risk of miscarriage because these tests are performed inside the uterus. Because of this risk, they are recommended primarily for women over the age of 35.

For genetic counseling, there is no possible way to stop Down syndrome from happening. It’s inherited and it just depends on if the chromosome 21 gets a third chromosome. Someone with Down syndrome could have a child and it could be perfectly normal just depends on the count of chromosome 21.

Children with Down syndrome attend mainstream playgroups, preschools, childcare, kindergartens and schools. Like all children, those with Down syndrome display a wide range of abilities, but most children with Down syndrome will usually take longer to learn new things. If encouraged to do so, people with Down syndrome continue to make steady progress and will continue learning throughout life.

Although the most important influence on early development is daily interaction and activities within the family, children with Down syndrome also benefit from structured learning opportunities. Families are encouraged to access the early learning and intervention services that are available from infancy. This will support the development of some of the most important early childhood skills.

Socially appropriate behavior should be encouraged and expected right from the beginning. Children with Down syndrome benefit from boundary setting in the same way as other children. Parenting a child with Down syndrome will, in many ways, not be very different from parenting any other child. Good parenting practices apply to all children. And for all children, consistency of approach is important.

Most babies and young children with Down syndrome can and do attend childcare centers, playgroups and preschool settings alongside children of the same age. They will learn a great deal from joining in with other young children. Early learning and intervention specialists work with families to encourage learning and development in the daily life of the child.

Children with Down syndrome can be included in all activities and should have the same expectations placed on them for good behavior and responsibility as other children do. There are no behaviors specific to children with Down syndrome. However, sometimes the inability to express themselves with words can lead to frustration. Instead, children with Down syndrome will try to express themselves through behaviors – sometimes undesirable ones. It is often necessary to look beyond a behavior and find the real message that the child is trying to express. This helps to understand and deal with the behavior. It is often because of a lack of understanding about the underlying cause of a behavior that people with Down syndrome are labelled as being stubborn.

Children with Down syndrome can attend the school of their parents' choice. In the past, many young people with Down syndrome have attended separate schools for students with intellectual disabilities. However, research shows that the majority of children with Down syndrome make the best progress when they are educated in mainstream schools alongside their peers. A student with Down syndrome is more likely to experience success in a school where inclusion is embraced and supported as part of the school culture, and where the different learning needs of all the students are acknowledged and properly addressed. (Turner 2008)

Research also shows that the whole school benefits from including students with disabilities as part of the school community. A range of students in every class will benefit from strategies developed to meet the learning needs of a student with Down syndrome. The best outcomes are achieved when appropriate support is provided to teachers to fully include the student in the class.

Children with Down syndrome should be provided with additional support to access the regular curriculum. The level of support and amount of program modification required will vary from one student to another.

People with Down syndrome generally take longer to learn new things. New skills may need to be broken down into smaller steps than for other learners and more repetition may be needed to retain learned skills. Children with Down syndrome may require more structure in their activities so that they can work independently in class.

The gap in skills and learning between children with Down syndrome and other children will grow with age. By secondary school, the gap may be quite significant. People with Down syndrome do not plateau or stop learning new skills in their teenage or adult years. They will continue to make steady progress and continue learning throughout life if given the opportunity to do so.

Many students with Down syndrome reach Year 12 and go on to post-school training or tertiary education. Access to a range of work experience opportunities is very important in helping young people with Down syndrome to make informed choices about their life after school. Young people with Down syndrome face greater challenges in leaving school and making the transition to adult life than their peers, and more planning is likely to be needed than for other young people.

While everyone wants their child to experience success in school, it is also important to note that academic success is not the key to being able to lead an ordinary life. Many young people leave school with limited academic skills, yet are well equipped to lead a happy, fulfilling and independent life as a productive member of the community.

Children with Down syndrome have particular strengths and weaknesses associated with their learning development : they are visual learners, they understand a lot more than they can say, they are able to follow classroom rules and routines, they will need help to remember instructions (e.g. shorter phrases or visual clues), they have the same feelings as any other child, and teacher expectations of behaviour, attitude and ability need to remain high.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Fox, S., Farrell, P., & Davis, P. (2004). Factors associated with the effective inclusion of primary-aged pupils with Down's syndrome. British Journal Of Special Education, 31(4), 184-190.

Gilmore, L., Campbell, J., & Cuskelly, M. (2003). Developmental Expectations, Personality Stereotypes, and Attitudes Towards Inclusive Education: community and teacher views of Down syndrome. International Journal Of Disability, Development & Education, 50(1), 65.

Kliewer C. The Communication Portfolio. Facilitated Communication Digest, vol. 2, no. 1. Nov. 1993

Turner, S. S., Alborz, A. A., & Gayle, V. V. (2008). Predictors of academic attainments of young people with Down's syndrome. Journal Of Intellectual Disability Research, 52(5), 380-392.