Down Syndrome

Down Syndrome	Down Syndrome (also called Trisomy 21) is when extra genetic material of the 21st chromosome causes delays in a child’s developmental abilities. There are also a remaining 5% of cases called mosaicism and translocation, where some cells are normal and others have Trisomy 21.
Characteristics	Common characteristics of Down Syndrome are for the child to have mild intellectual ability. This means that their learning ability is less than what the average ability is for the age of the child. They may learn slower than a child their age and may need simplified instruction rather than complex. It is common for someone with Down Syndrome to have a speech impairment. Other common characteristics are fine motor skill and gross motor skill impairment.  Most infants with Down Syndrome have low muscle tone and take longer to learn how to sit up, stand, roll over, etc. Less common characteristics of someone with Down Syndrome are hearing loss and epilepsy. Around 40% of babies born with Down Syndrome have some sort of heart condition that can range from mild to severe. A person with Down Syndrome has unique hands and feet.  They typically have short fingers with a finger that curves inward, and small feet with large spaces between the first two toes.  Someone with Down Syndrome has distinct facial features such as small eyes that are upturned, small ears and nose, a flat face, and a large tongue. People with Down Syndrome are commonly thought of as having very loving personalities and bond with many people. Some of these characteristics are specific to the age, such as the heart defects found in babies/infants as well as the muscle tone in infants.  The speech impairment may develop early but becomes apparent as the child begins speaking.
Misconceptions	Some misconceptions that should be addressed about Down Syndrome are that this only occurs in older adult pregnancies, Down Syndrome children/adults are severely mentally retarded or have severe cognitive delays, and that a person with Down Syndrome is/should be part of a special education program. I felt that these misconceptions were the ones that needed to be addressed. A teacher should not assume the age of a parent due to their child having Down Syndrome.  The reality of this misconception is that 80% of children with Down Syndrome have a mother who is 35 or younger.  Another misconception is that a person with Down Syndrome is severely mentally retarded or has severe cognitive delays. Mental retardation and cognitive impairment in someone with Down Syndrome is normally mild to moderate. This should be taken into consideration in teaching and the learning of the students because the student needs to be working at their appropriate level.  This misconception leads into the next one, that a person with Down Syndrome should be part of a special education classroom. This misconception affects the teaching and learning of students because the teacher needs to consider the level of the student and teach to that appropriate level. A student with Down Syndrome can be placed in a regular education class/program and can benefit from working with other students. However, some one on one instruction is also beneficial.  All Down Syndrome children/adults have some degree of mental retardation, but this does not mean that they are incapable of learning. I believe that is the most important thing for anyone, especially teachers, to remember when thinking about these misconceptions.
Resources	Books: There are many non-fiction books about Down Syndrome, including information and supportive texts as well as guiding parents/families through raising a child with Down Syndrome. There are also many fiction/realistic fiction stories that include someone with Down Syndrome in the story. The Down's Syndrome Handbook: A Practical Guide for Parents and Carers by Dr. Richard Newton, and contributed by the Down’s Syndrome Association   Taking Down Syndrome to School (Special Kids in School) by Jenna Glatzer, illustrated by Tom Dineen, and edited by Karen Schader   Hi, I’m Ben… And I’ve Got a Secret! By Julie A. Bouwkamp, edited by Gail McCormick, and illustrated by David Tesnar The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards Websites: There are many lists of websites where someone could find more information about Down Syndrome. There are also national websites for Down Syndrome listed (association and society). National Down Syndrome Society: http://www.ndss.org/index.php Down Syndrome: The place for Family and Friends: http://downsyndrome.com/ National Association for Down Syndrome: http://www.nads.org/ Information website about Down Syndrome: http://www.yourgenesyourhealth.org/ds/whatisit.htm I would also recommend looking at local ad’s in newspapers, online, or at hospitals for support groups or information meetings about Down Syndrome.
Curricular Modification(s)	There are no children in my classroom with Down Syndrome, but there are many ways my teacher and I could modify the curriculum to assist a student with Down Syndrome. If I had a student in my class that was working at the current level as the rest of the students, I would have them participate in day-to-day lessons but give more simplified directions for the student with Down Syndrome to not overwhelm them. I would also set aside time for one on one instruction, as well as contact the resource room teacher or special education teacher in the building to create effective lesson plans and for more individual work with the student to get a break from being in the busy classroom. I would also make sure to figure out what way the student works best, whether it be visual, audio, kinesthetic, etc. and make sure to include lessons in my places to fit the students specific needs. If a student with Down Syndrome was in my classroom but not working at the current grade level, I would do all the same things as stated above, but test the student to see what grade level he/she was currently working at and plan lessons that fits the students needs. I would also collaborate with teachers at the grade level the student was working at to make sure I was teaching important concepts and skills. If the student seemed to be overwhelmed or frustrated by work or other students, I would have a special area that the student could go to with options of different activities to do, such as working on fine motor skills.