I had researched and found that children with Down syndrome could learn to read and even learn to read as early as 2 1/2. The one site I found said that the dad read to her daughter 10 books a day. So I bought lots of the books that were thick and lots of pages and every day I read to her. It didn't take long for her to love reading and although she is not reading at 2 1/2, she loves to bring books to me everyday to read.
Hugs
Debra and Hope
Friday, May 11, 2007
Shopping Cart...
When Hope was learning to walk, we wanted to have something that we could use to help her learn. The Physical Therapist suggested the Little Tikes Shopping Cart but we found that it seemed to tip easy with her. She could not pull up to it because it would tip on her.
So we asked the PT and she suggested cans of food but Hope loved to throw things and I could just imagine what she would do with that. So I bought the two 10 pound bags of flour and large zip loc bags and put the flour in it and zipped it shut and put it in the bottom of the cart. With that in the cart, Hope could pull up and walk with the cart.
I don't have pictures of the girl walking with her cart that I know of but I have a sweet picture of her in the cart with her big brother Jason pushing her around.
So we asked the PT and she suggested cans of food but Hope loved to throw things and I could just imagine what she would do with that. So I bought the two 10 pound bags of flour and large zip loc bags and put the flour in it and zipped it shut and put it in the bottom of the cart. With that in the cart, Hope could pull up and walk with the cart.
I don't have pictures of the girl walking with her cart that I know of but I have a sweet picture of her in the cart with her big brother Jason pushing her around.
Ice Cube Tray....Pincer Grip.
When Hope was trying to learn her pincer grip the Ocupational therapist said to use an ice cube tray and cherios or her puffs to encourage it. Well Hope loved to toss things and I knew that was not going to work. So a friend of mine said to trim off the bottom of the tray where the one tray helps hold up the other from the tray below it and then sand that... add velcro to the high chair tray and the bottom of the ice cube tray. That work so well but she did eventually learn to tear it off.
Here are pictures...
Here are pictures...
Sign Language Cards and Web Sites....
One thing I learned also was that Hope could learn Sign Language. For some reason and maybe because I had heard that sign language was something that was big with teaching all children, I felt more comfortable about that than the picture cards. So I searched on several sights and found a web site where I could order the cards. So I ordered cards from The Lesson Tutor and go to the left hand sidebar and click on Shopping@LT a you can order the cards already made up and at not a bad cost.
Here are some pictures that I have of the cards that I made up for Hope. I laminated them and put them on a ring.
Here is a picture of them.
Web sites about sign language...
http://www.masterstech-home.com/ASLDict.html
http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/browser.htm
http://www.tinyfingers.com/kit.html
http://www.signwithme.com/default.asp
http://www.csupomona.edu/~apfelzer/mbr/unit1/lessons/1-house.html
http://www.lifeprint.com/asl101/
http://www.signingtime.com/
The Signing Time tapes and DVD's are wonderful and an excellent way to help parents, friends and children learn sign language.
Hope this helps
Debra and Hope
Here are some pictures that I have of the cards that I made up for Hope. I laminated them and put them on a ring.
Here is a picture of them.
Web sites about sign language...
http://www.masterstech-home.com/ASLDict.html
http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/browser.htm
http://www.tinyfingers.com/kit.html
http://www.signwithme.com/default.asp
http://www.csupomona.edu/~apfelzer/mbr/unit1/lessons/1-house.html
http://www.lifeprint.com/asl101/
http://www.signingtime.com/
The Signing Time tapes and DVD's are wonderful and an excellent way to help parents, friends and children learn sign language.
Hope this helps
Debra and Hope
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Pictures of every day things....
When I asked what I can do for Hope to help her communicate, the Speech Therapist said to have her use pictures. I have seen other children use pictures and that was NOT what I wanted my child to do...well, I used pictures and it was wonderful and it didn't mean that she was always going to use picture boards and if she did, I was ok with that.
I made this by going around and taking pictures of things that Hope used in her everday life. I took pictures of shoes, her food, cup, toys, books, diapers, ball, bubbles, teddy bear, spoon. I put them on a business card magnets and that way the could be on the fridge. I also made a copy of them on a piece of cardstock, with four of them to a page, then had them laminated and then used the velcro, soft side on the pages and then put the rough side on the picture that was also laminated. This way we could also play matching games. I didn't laminate the magnets.
Here are pictures what I did.
I made this by going around and taking pictures of things that Hope used in her everday life. I took pictures of shoes, her food, cup, toys, books, diapers, ball, bubbles, teddy bear, spoon. I put them on a business card magnets and that way the could be on the fridge. I also made a copy of them on a piece of cardstock, with four of them to a page, then had them laminated and then used the velcro, soft side on the pages and then put the rough side on the picture that was also laminated. This way we could also play matching games. I didn't laminate the magnets.
Here are pictures what I did.
Monday, May 7, 2007
Advocacy Web sites I have found...
Partners in Making your Case This is a self study on Making your case. You can take a course in this. I have not done it yet but plan on it soon.
The National Center of Medical Home Initiatives for Children with Special Needs This is a site to also help you look up things about your own state. If you click on the state pages button it will take you to a map to find things about your individual state.
Write your own behavior plan This is a site that gives you a starting point for writing a behavior plan for you child.
National Early Childhood TA Center This looks like it has lots of links to part C of the IDEA.
Education a Must This web site says that it helps provide advocacy services.
Disability Secrets This is a neat site to help people through the system of Social Security.
This is a web site that someone on the Board that I am on listed the other day...
The Delphi Technique, How to disrupt it A little more detailed site is The Delphi Technique
I know there are so many more out there and if any one can help that would be great.
Hugs
Debra and Hope
The National Center of Medical Home Initiatives for Children with Special Needs This is a site to also help you look up things about your own state. If you click on the state pages button it will take you to a map to find things about your individual state.
Write your own behavior plan This is a site that gives you a starting point for writing a behavior plan for you child.
National Early Childhood TA Center This looks like it has lots of links to part C of the IDEA.
Education a Must This web site says that it helps provide advocacy services.
Disability Secrets This is a neat site to help people through the system of Social Security.
This is a web site that someone on the Board that I am on listed the other day...
The Delphi Technique, How to disrupt it A little more detailed site is The Delphi Technique
I know there are so many more out there and if any one can help that would be great.
Hugs
Debra and Hope
Friday, May 4, 2007
A Book of Hope
To help our children and anyone else that had questions was to create a book about Hope. Since I love scrapbooking it was very easy and fun to do.
I took some pictures of Hope...her eyes, feet, toes, hands, ears and even her belly button because it was such a cute outie. Then I added some of her favorite things like her books, babyfoods, toys, where she sleeps, her dog and her family. I also added signs for her to see, Hope, hair, hand, foot, ear, eye, book, toy, frog, bed, dog, and family.
I then laminated them so that it would not get messy. I then put it together with a couple of rings.
We had fun and it was so neat for the kids to see what made Hope special.
One of the ladies on our online group does a book for her son for school and I hope that I can do it for Hope also so that others can understand what makes her special.
Hugs to you all
Debra and Hop
I took some pictures of Hope...her eyes, feet, toes, hands, ears and even her belly button because it was such a cute outie. Then I added some of her favorite things like her books, babyfoods, toys, where she sleeps, her dog and her family. I also added signs for her to see, Hope, hair, hand, foot, ear, eye, book, toy, frog, bed, dog, and family.
I then laminated them so that it would not get messy. I then put it together with a couple of rings.
We had fun and it was so neat for the kids to see what made Hope special.
One of the ladies on our online group does a book for her son for school and I hope that I can do it for Hope also so that others can understand what makes her special.
Hugs to you all
Debra and Hop
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
