The new "Down Syndrome Carnival" blog! By gathering together the work of several bloggers who parent children with Down syndrome, I hope that we could share the joy that these children are to those of us who love them.

In A Flash Series

The In A Flash Series teaches children of all abilities their ABC’s and sight reading.  Designed for, and tested on, our child with Down Syndrome.  In A Flash Series is a computer based program that uses a “flashcard” approach to teach words, and a fun game for reinforcement, with lots of encouragement. 

 www.flashseries.com

Dear Friends,

  Here is a picture of our precious daughter, Sabrina Joy. She has Down syndrome and was one of the first babies placed through CHASK. Some of you may remember us from a past issue in the NATHHAN NEWS or in the update letter that CHASK sends out to its families.

  She is now 19 months old.  She weighs a little over 22 pounds and is 26 inches long.  She is tube fed still and does very well on our goat milk.  I also tube feed her carrot juice and some baby food.  We are working with a therapist to help her feeding problems.  She had surgery in October to remove her adenoids which were blocking her breathing by almost 100 % we were told.  She also has problems with reflux.

  Sabrina belly crawls or rolls where she wants to go.  She does not get up on all fours to crawl yet.  She says da-da and some other sounds.  She has just learned to sit up.  She loves music and any paper she can get into.  While we do school at home, she likes to empty the book shelf with the encyclopedias on it.  A book worm in the making!

  Nathaniel our oldest son (15) and Sabrina are best of buddy’s.  He really looks out for her.  It has been good for him.  It’s like they have things in common.  Rebekah  (14) loves to baby-sit her sister.  She tries to teach her new things.  Wendel (11) plays with her and tells her how beautiful she is.  They all include her in their board games, even though she doesn’t know what is going on.  They even have her winning the game!

 We are really enjoying our daughter.

 Mark and Wendy  Carper and Family

 Greenville, PA.

If phonics doesn’t click, try Farm Animal Words Reading Kit!

Designed to assist you in teaching sight reading skills, Farm Animal Words Reading Kit consists of a book called My Farm Animal Book, a double set of flashcards, and an instruction booklet on how to teach sight reading.

My Farm Animal Book Features:

~10 well known farm animals.

~Large (8 ½” by 11”), uncluttered pages.

~One simple animal photograph per page with large, easy to read print.

~Total reading vocabulary of 57 words. 4 new words per page.

~Repetition and review of words incorporated into text.

~Farm Animal Words Reading Kit has been developed by Diane Ryckman, and has been thoroughly

     tested on her son Andrew, who just happens to have Down syndrome.

For more information visit www.kootenay.com/ ~ryckman/DownHomeLearning.html   

e-mail: ryckman@kootenay.com 

phone: 1-250-428-7798

John and Diane Ryckman

53 Evans Rd. RR7

Creston, B.C.

V0B-1G7 $18.50 US / $23.00 Canadian

Our daughter with Down syndrome is 10 yrs old.  Due to multiple hearing problems/ear surgeries/hearing aides, her speech is very much delayed.  Just last year, at 9 years of age, her speech therapist helped to get her started on an augmentive communication device called a Dynavox MT4.  With this little computer-like 'talker' she has improved so much with her communication.  The sign language and pictures and everything else we'd tried still hadn't improved her speech, but with this 'talker' we are seeing her try to talk with it, and her speech is improving remarkably. 

  She still has a long way to go, but with this 'talker' she is able to tell us and others things that she never could before.  It is so wonderful for us and fun for her.  Her behavior problems that stemmed from frustration because of lack of communication have greatly been helped with this.  We are seeing great advances in that area and are hopeful for more advances in her good behavior as she learns more and more how to communicate with her new 'voice'. 

  We wish that she had known of this years ago because we think it would have been easier for her to learn this at an earlier age, but at least she can get started with it now and start improving her life with it as much as possible at this stage in her life.  Our insurance paid for every bit of it, but Medicaid also covers it if your insurance doesn't.  To find out more about this, contact Dynavox at:

Dynavox Systems

2100 Wharton St., Suite 400

Pittsburgh, PA  15203

1-800-344-17778

www.dynavoxsystems.com  

If any further personal questions, contact me at:     Annette   reevesroost@dybb.com

   We are glad to share what we are using. There is not a program for Down syndrome children from a Christian perspective. However, we can all put one together with minimal effort. A program perfectly tailored for our children is what we are all looking for anyway. Here are some of the resources that families are using with their children who have Down syndrome. If you do not see your favorite resource, please contact us at nathanews@aol.com and send it in. We want to see what you are using.

Dearborn, MI 48126-4088 (313) 581-8436 loveandlearning.com

Uses video tapes and audio cassettes to present the 26 letters of the alphabet plus many words.

First Grade Learning at Home- By Ann Ward lifetimebooksandgifts.com

Slow and Steady Get Me Ready-By Oberlander lifetimebooksandgifts.com

Ephrata, PA 17522

This is a curriculum used be several families who successfully taught their DS child to read phonetically.

Zoo Phonics- This is a curriculum that uses animals for each letter to teach phonetic reading.  www.zoo-phonics.com

Phonics Plain & Simple Part A and B a simple program to use if you are unsure if your child will be able to learn to read via the phonics method. Published by NATHHAN

Luke's Life List - Individual Education Planner- by Joyce Herzog www.joyceherzog.com A check list of skills according to Luke 2:52. Step by Step express to adulthood. Includes: Early Childhood, Wisdom, Stature - physical growth, Favor with God - spiritual growth, Favor with Man - Social Growth, Academics - mental growth, Life Skills - maturation, independent living, vocation skills.

The IEP Manual For The Homeschool Handicapped Student

IEP's are now easy! You can create a professional looking IEP specific to the special needs of your child with this easy to use fill-in- the-blank IEP format for all ages, grades and skill levels. It includes a Chronological Age-Appropriate Activities listing organized by life-space domains that offers a no exhaustive menu of ideas from which to draw. The IEP Manual comes "Binder-Ready" with over 250 three hole punched pages that can be used every year and for more than one child. A true investment for years to come.  

Order it now

 Language Picture Cards - Stages Learning Materials ---Full-color, photographic flash cards that have been professionally designed to teach children with autism. Call Stages Learning Materials to order or for your free color brochure: Toll-Free (888) 501-8880. www.stageslearning.com

1st and 2nd Straight Talk -for Speech and Language Therapy

 Steps to Independence- Baker and Brightman A skills training guide for parents and teachers of children with special needs

Communication Skills in Children with Down Syndrome- Libby Kumin, Ph. D., CCC-SLP her book: Down Syndrome: The First 18 Months

Woodbine House- A Guide for Parents: Speech and Language development

Helps for Special Education Teachers- Special Education committee Christian Light Publications

Comb Binding - manual 1998 A Mennonite publication for teachers of special needs children. Christian perspective. Getting started, language skills, perceptual skills, cognitive skills, motor skills, math, articulation. A good resource for families putting together their own IEP.

Does your child have Down Syndrome? Need someone to talk to? Have some ideas to share? Phone, e-mail or write: Diane Ryckman 1453 Evans Rd. RR 7 Creston, B.C. V0B 1G7 CANADA (250)-428-7798 Email- ryckman@kootenay.com     Down Home Learning

Their web site continues to be: www.lifetimebooksandgifts.com