"As young children with Down Syndrome age, they often come up against speech and language difficulties, especially with peers in school and people outside their family circle. Addressing these challenges in children between the ages of six to fourteen, the author, an expert in communication and Down Syndrome, offers insight into language pragmatics, building conversation skills, using augmented communication systems, and improving intelligibility. This volume covers specific approaches for assessment and evaluation, strategies for home and school settings, and case study material that should prove beneficial to parents and professionals alike."
-Disability Resources Online
"To be unable to express your thoughts or feelings or to be unable to participate fully in a conversation is a sad and frustrating thing. Parents and teachers of children with Down Syndrome work to ensure that our children’s speech and language is as good as it can be, but this is often difficult due to lack of access to speech therapists or lack of understanding about what can be done. This becomes more difficult as the child gets older and more complex language skills are needed. Libby Kumin’s new book Helping Children with Down Syndrome Communicate Better: Speech and Language Skills for Ages 6-14, provides a great resource for parents, teachers and therapists to address speech, language and communication difficulties.
As in her DVD, What Did You Say? (2006), Kumin describes the different areas of speech and communication that are problematic for people with Down Syndrome and possible reasons for these problems. In her new book, Kumin also discusses these areas, but also includes other language difficulties, the particular communication skills needed at school and those needed at home and in the community.
There is a big section on speech and language evaluation with examples of reports and therapy plans. In addition to discussing what therapists focus on and therapy activities, Kumin provides many activities that can be done whilst playing games or just in the course of doing the usual chores and tasks in the day. She also suggests titles of books that can be used to work on each skill. For example, she mentions using We’re Going on a Bear Hunt for preposition practice. Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae is used for teaching and practicing the use of negatives.
And there are other lists of books for Wh questions and lists for sound and articulation production. There is a section on how to make homemade games to focus on various skills.
Kumin discusses what language is required at school and how teachers can help children communicate better. She includes a chapter on communication and social skills at home and in the community. Teaching conversation skills is examined. She discusses how to know whether your child needs augmentative and alternative communication(AAC) which includes gestures, signing, picture cards, communication boards and electronic communication devices.
This is a very comprehensive book about communication for this age group. It is easy to pick small bits out of it or read through all facets. It is written in the US and hence often refers to US laws about services that children are entitled to and also refers to the US education system. However, these snippets are easy to ignore and do not detract from the other outstanding material contained in the book.
I like the way Kumin emphasises ways to help communication as part of daily life. She makes clear that communication skills can be improved throughout a person’s life and that because speech is difficult for people with Down Syndrome, we should remember that their speech does not indicate their abilities, thoughts or feelings. We need to give them every chance to communicate.
I highly recommend this practical and comprehensive book to anyone who wants to work on or understand speech, language and communication difficulties in school-age children with Down syndrome or even just understand speech evaluations and therapy."
-Keeping Up With Down Syndrome NSW, October 2008
"There is a difference between communication, speech and language. Everyone develops these skills at different rates, and even individuals without disabilities are not always good at all three skills. The challenge for teaching communication skills to children with Down syndrome is figuring out the best way for each child to communicate, and then helping him or her develop the other needed skills. Some children will use speech; some will use sign language, picture systems or other communication devices.
When problems arise for our children, it helps to learn about the issue before meeting with a specialist or therapist. When we know the types of evaluations to expect, and treatment options, we can make a more informed decision about how to choose a therapist, and work a solution. This book helps families understand the options for helping their child with Down syndrome develop communication, speech language, and includes great ideas for incorporating language development into your family routine. There is also information about assistive technology, sample treatment plans, IEP goals, and more."
-Newsline, Winter 2010 (Federation for Children with Special Needs)
"Libby Kumin is an expert in communication and Down syndrome, a teacher and an advocate. Kumin has extensive experience in working with people with DS of all ages and is familiar with common (and less common) challenges that occur and how to address them. She is a teacher, and writes thorough, detailed explanations, as if anticipating and answering questions readers might have. Kumin is also an advocate, and troubleshoots for parents advocating for school services by giving examples of roadblocks they might encounter and provides a roadmap to make detours to continue down the path of improving your child’s speech and language. Kumin provides numerous activities and games that parents and professionals can use to help 6-14 year olds improve their communication."
-Down Syndrome News, Volume 31, #7
"'There is no one Down syndrome profile when it comes to communication skills,' espouses author Libby Kumin in this sequel to her Early Communication Skills for Children with Down Syndrome. Part of the Topics in Down Syndrome series, this guide for parents and professionals offers an overview of the wide variety of speech and language difficulties in children with Down syndrome, aged six to fourteen. It continues with a discussion of speech-language evaluation and eligibility and what children will typically work on while in therapy with a speech-language pathologist.
Kumin also believes that 'language is part of daily living and is best practiced during real life,' and suggests teamwork among the family, speech-language pathologist, and teacher. To build up this team, she provides strategies for classroom teachers, such as modifications that help students with Down syndrome follow spoken instruction or feel included in conversations. For families, the author presents a wealth of home activities. Ranging from vocabulary building and verb tenses to sound production and voice to facial expressions and turn taking, which go beyond traditional therapy lessons.
A professor in the Department of Speech-Language Pathology/Audiology at Loyola University where she founded the Down Syndrome Center for Excellence, and a national speaker, Kumin draws on over twenty years of experience working with babies, children, adolescents, and adults with Down syndrome and their families. This leading expert has also written Classroom Language Skills for Children with Down Syndrome and produced What Did You Say? DVD: A Guide to Speech Intelligibility in People with Down Syndrome.
Integrating the latest research, therapies in speech-language therapy, and assistive technology, Kumin adds to this practical and invaluable handbook with quick lists, sample worksheets, evalutions, reports, and surveys; an extensive Resource Guide with related organizations and websites; and eye-catching photographs of children with Down syndrome at school, at home, and in the community. Although her information is authoritative, the text is easy to read and the author’s tone is always encouraging and supportive. Her 10 Tips for Nurturing Your Child’s Communication Skills should become a mantra for all families and professionals working with children with Down syndrome. If helping these children communicate better is the goal, then this book is the guiding path."
-ForeWord Magazine, January/February 2009
"Dr. Libby Kumin has succeeded once again in preparing a useful resource for families who have a child with Down syndrome and for those professionals most likely to support such a child and family.
She facilitates the reader’s understanding of communication, speech and language through the clarity of her explanations of typical development, and her powerful examples of the struggles often experienced by children with Down syndrome—highlighting the importance of providing a meaningful communication system for this population. Her comprehensive description of a communication evaluation--what to expect, how to prepare, the components of the assessment--is masterful as she provides a guide families can follow as they navigate the evaluation process. Dr. Kumin also guides the reader through the complexities of the service system recognizing the challenges families may face as they determine ways to access a collaborative team and a credentialed speech-language pathologist who can guide the intervention process, particularly for communication. Kumin considers several options for supporting the communication of children with Down syndrome, identifying those with a scientific evidence-base and those guided by clinical experience. The plethora of activities to support communication at home, school and in the community is impressive.
Kumin provides a powerful ending with 10 tips for nurturing the communication of a child with Down syndrome. She recognizes the value of family involvement, the influence of culture and the strengths children with Down syndrome bring to their learning."
-Patricia A. Prelock, PhD., CCC-SLP
Professor & Chair, Department of Communication Sciences
University of Vermont
"Dr. Libby Kumin, an expert on Down syndrome and communication, presents Helping Children with Down Syndrome Communicate Better: Speech and Language Skills for Ages 6-14, a guide for both parents and professionals to helping young people develop their speech, language, and communication skills. Chapters discuss the factors that make speech and language difficult, especially for children with Down syndrome; how to assess language and speech treatments; fostering conversational skills; and much more. Black-and-white photographs, anecdotes, home activities for practicing communication skills and more enhance this user-friendly compendium. A 'must-have' for educators and parents responsible for a child with Down syndrome, Helping Children with Down Syndrome Communicate Better is also a valuable supplement for anyone teaching communication skills to young people with different types of mental handicaps."
-The Midwest Book Review
"Libby Kuman, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, has written four other books about communication skills and Down syndrome children. This book is a sequel to Dr. Kuman’s book, Early Communication Skills for Children with Down Syndrome, which focuses on the ages of birth to approximately 3 years old. Written for both parents and professionals, the book provides in depth information on the communication challenges of Down syndrome children from the ages of 6-14. A wealth of information is provided to help parents and professionals help Down syndrome children develop strong communication skills. The book begins by explaining the differences between language, communication, and speech, and ends with advice to parents that developing communication skills in their children with Down is a never-ending journey. The book provides treatment plans, a resource guide, suggestions for games that will help to build speech and language skills, and samples of diagnostics, and school reports.
A critical part of any handbook geared toward this age group, the book provides advice for navigating within the school system to achieve the best possible outcomes for the Down syndrome child. What parents can expect, as well as how to overcome possible obstacles, is explained. Advice on what parents can provide to school professionals to provide them with a better idea of a particular child’s abilities is covered. Exercises and activities that parents can use at home to enforce formal learning are provided in each section.
Dr. Kumin founded the Down Syndrome Speech and Language Center for Excellence at Loyola College Columbia Center."
-CAPHIS Consumer Connections
