Thief steals special iPad belonging to child with Down syndrome

from WPXI:
Several precious items were stolen from a Washington County family, but one thing in particular will be very difficult to replace.
Among the stolen items was a special iPad belonging to a boy with Down syndrome who has a tough time communicating, Channel 11's Cara Sapida reported.
The thief broke into the Miller family's home just a few days before Christmas and took a laptop, the iPad and even little Elijah's backpack that had in it his folders from school. It's not having the iPad, however, that concerns the family most.
"I thought, 'Oh my god, Elijah's iPad,'" the child's mother, Michele Miller, recalled. "I run in the living room, (and) it's gone. I started crying. I didn't know what to do."
The iPad was specially given to Elijah by the Charleroi School District to help him communicate. The family said they believe the thief would only need a quick look to realize that it belonged to a special boy.
"(It has) bright blue bumper foam pad with a handle," Michele Miller pointed out. "Whenever you turn it on, you can see his pictures, all the sign language apps and other things for a child to learn and communicate."
Elijah's big brother Samuel had a message for the thief.
"Whoever took it, I hope they return it," the 9-year-old said. "Because that isn't just right. It isn't right."
The laptop is missing an F5 key. If you recognize any of those items, you are encouraged to contact Charleroi Police.

Why Down Syndrome Doesn't Define My Son

by Christie Taylor from the Huffington Post:

What makes a person's story a success story? Is it fame, is it overcoming great challenges, is it genius?

If it is, Derek's story is a success story on all levels.

There is another component that I believe makes Derek's story a success story. That component is Adam's genius of communication.

You can see Adam's genius at work in the bond that he shares with Derek. You can also see Adam's genius at work in the way Derek is able to fully utilize and enjoy the gifts he has been given. His genius starts its work where most people stop. Adam had the desire and dedication to go beyond Derek's challenges, to learn who Derek is as a man.

I've seen the genius of communication at work in my life, and its power is amazing. I was introduced to this genius by the lady with the blue folder.

I met her when she visited my hospital room the afternoon after my son was born. Earlier that morning, I learned my son had Down Syndrome, and my emotions were still very raw.

When the lady with the blue folder walked in my room, I instinctively knew that folder she held in her hand was full of definitions, statistics and medical jargon. Wasn't being told your child had Down Syndrome enough to process for one day? The last thing I wanted right then was some stranger giving me an education on what having a child with Down Syndrome meant. She did give me that very education, but not in the way I expected.

Boy with Down syndrome uses iPad to help him communicate

by Courtney Smith from WTVM 9:
AUBURN, AL (WTVM) -
Like many best friends, 7-year-old Hal Bradshaw and Sophie Snyder don't need a lot of words, their bond is rock solid.
Hal has Down syndrome. He began signing as a baby, but verbal words remain a challenge.
"You want the best for your children, you want them to be able to output to the world, not just input," said Hal's mom Samantha Bradshaw.
WTVM.com-Columbus, GA News Weather
Hal began lessons with Kelly Cadden, a speech pathologist at All for Children in Auburn. His family bought an expensive language output device, but it was complicated and Hal didn't like it.
"We knew how much he loved playing games on the iPad, and so we started using it as a way of communication and he liked it and picked it up immediately," said Cadden. "He likes to carry it with him, doesn't like others to touch it, it is his voice, one he didn't have before."

Ninth Annual Trisomy 21 Symposium

Ninth Annual Trisomy 21 Symposium

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Sponsored by the Trisomy 21 Program at

The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

www.chop.edu/cme

Trisomy 21 is the most frequently occurring chromosomal abnormality, found once every

800 to 1,000 live births. However, both pediatric and adult clinical care continues to

present significant and unique challenges.

Children with trisomy 21 are at higher risk for congenital heart disease, gastrointestinal abnormalities, endocrinologic disorders, epilepsy, musculoskeletal issues that affect motor abilities, hearing loss, speech apraxia, sleep disorders, feeding disorders, and developmental disabilities, including learning disabilities, mental retardation and autism. Deficits in any of these areas can adversely affect the child’s development and adaptive behavior.

This one-day symposium will provide parents and healthcare professionals with up-to-date clinical information, therapeutic approaches and current research being conducted in the field of trisomy 21.

Presentation Summaries:

Dental Management of the Patient with Down Syndrome (Trisomy 21) Angela Stout, D.M.D., M.P.H. - This presentation will discuss various dental characteristics and

anomalies that exist with patients who have Down syndrome and will review tips for the parent and caregiver to maintain good oral health for their child/patient. Several treatment options

and behavior management techniques will be offered to guide and assist the parent/caregiver to get their child/patient through dental examinations and treatment.

Promoting Health and Mental Wellbeing in Individuals with Down Syndrome: Lessons Learned from the Adult Down Syndrome Center of Advocate Lutheran General Hospital Brian Chicoine, M.D. - Dennis McGuire, Ph.D.Drs. Chicoine and McGuire will discuss findings from a multidisciplinary clinic serving the health and psychosocial

needs of over 5,000 teens and adults with Down syndrome in suburban Chicago. They will discuss the interaction of physical and mental health conditions and discuss ways to reduce the risk of mental health/behavioral conditions. They will also discuss health promotion strategies and behavioral characteristics that are adaptive.

Monica Walters Martinez and David Martinez Self-advocates and Stars of the HBO Documentary, Monica & David Moderator: Ali Codina - Monica & David is a documentary that explores the marriage of two adults with Down syndrome and the family that strives to support their needs. Monica and David are blissfully in love and want what other adults have — an independent life. While Monica and David are capable beyond expectations, their parents, aware of mainstream rejection of adults with intellectual disabilities, have trouble letting go.

surprise gift for man with Down syndrome

from khsltv.com by Alan Marsden:

A Christmas wish for an iPad is giving a young man with Down Syndrome the gift of speech.  Matthew Levert, 26, and his family were surprised by Santa Sunday evening during a dinner at Applebee's in Chico. It was put on by a non-profit from New York called  "Gifts From the Heart for Downs." In addition to granting his wish for an iPad the organization gave Matthew $200 worth of iTunes music. The iPad will be used to help Matthew communicate with others by improving his reading, writing and speaking skills. Lacey Levert, Matthew's sister says "When he heard Santa say his name, he was looking around like what... And then when he saw it, his eyes lit up. It was so well worth it, so well worth it. I can't put it into words how grateful my mom and I are"

"Gifts From the Heart for Downs" was created by, and is run by a single mom with two children who have Downs Syndrome.  The group has granted 64 wishes to people with Down Syndrome all over the country since it began in 2010.

Research Down Syndrome Announces 2012/2013 Grant Awards to Fund Down Syndrome Cognitive Research

by Research Down Syndrome:

Research Down Syndrome (RDS) has announced funding for six grants to support Down syndrome cognitive research. The grant total represents a fifty percent increase over grants awarded by RDS in 2011.

RDS is committed to supporting the identification of the causes of the intellectual impairments associated with Down syndrome and to facilitating the development of pharmacological therapies to improve memory, learning and communication in persons with Down syndrome. Encouraging progress has been made over a very short time. A human clinical trial was initiated in the fall of 2011, less than a decade after the support of private foundations stimulated the progress of Down syndrome cognitive research.

Research Down Syndrome, among the leading sources of private funding for Down syndrome related cognitive research, prioritizes funding towards programs with a high probability of readily contributing to the development of safe and effective therapies.  Continued private donations are needed to support the constantly expanding research efforts that will lead to potential medical treatments. The 2012/2013 RDS Research Grants include:

1. Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine:  RDS Research Center Grant entitled "A Down Syndrome Virtual Center for Basic and Translational Studies- Cognition and Therapies in Down Syndrome"    
2. University of California, San Diego School of Medicine:  RDS Research Center Grant entitled "Defining the Genes and Mechanisms Causing Neurodegeneration in Down Syndrome and Discovering Effective Treatments" - Pilot Proposal entitled "21Lab: A Collaborative Data Sharing and Data Integration Platform for the Down Syndrome Research Community"
3. University of Arizona:  RDS Innovation Research Grant entitled "The Neuropsychology of Down Syndrome"
4. Stanford University School of Medicine: RDS Innovation Research Grant entitled "Mechanisms Underlying the Roles of Sleep and Circadian Rhythms in the Learning Disability of Down Syndrome"
5. VA Palo Alto Health Care System: RDS Innovation Research Pilot Grant entitled "Improving Adrenergic Signaling for the Treatment of cognitive Dysfunction in Down Syndrome"
6. University of Texas, Austin:  RDS Innovation Research Pilot Grant entitled "Genetic Analysis of Excessive Inhibitory Signaling in Down Syndrome"

Detailed information on these grants can be found at: www.researchds.org

 

About Research Down Syndrome

Research Down Syndrome (RDS) is among the leading sources of private funding for Down syndrome related cognitive research.  RDS supports and funds Down syndrome cognitive research conducted at research institutions that are studying the basis of the intellectual impairments associated with Down syndrome, including Alzheimer's disease. Research Down Syndrome is a legal corporate entity, and is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization designated by the Internal Revenue Code.  For more information, go to www.researchds.org, or contact RDS:  info@researchds.org or 847.710.2251.

SOURCE Research Down Syndrome

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/10/08/4892505/research-down-syndrome-announces.html#storylink=cpy

boy with Down syndrome able to communicate like never before, thanks to iPad apps

by Meg Baker from Fox News:
Communication is an essential part of everyday life—but for those who are non-verbal, to be given the ability to speak is life changing. Breakthrough technology like touch screen apps are now giving stroke victims, individuals with autism and children like Enrique Mendez who has Down syndrome, a voice.
Enrique, 9, of New Jersey, primarily uses the app Proloquo2Go app to create speech by clicking on text and symbols.
“He definitely has a personality and we never knew it until this app, that he actually can have full conversations and dominate a conversation as well,” Diana Mendez, Enrique’s mother, told Foxnews.com.
The app’s developer, David Niemeijer, said he did not fully realize the impact the app would have on lives when he first came up with the idea, but meeting Enrique and his family exceeded his expectations.
“He [Enrique] is able to have more control of his life, is able to do more things that other kids do and get his message across and so he is much more empowered in a way,” Niemeijer said.
Proloquo2Go provides endless text-to-speech voices with a customizable library of more than 14,000 pictures and symbols, which users can configure from 9 to 36 buttons per page. The app comes with two pre-programmed vocabs to choose from, Core Word—most frequently used words in English, and Basic Communication—for new communicators depending on the personal needs and preferences of different users.
Enrique’s mom previously used other methods like sign language to communicate with her son, but said that limited the number of people he could communicate with.
“Now he can communicate with everyone,” she added.
“I want a pretzel,” Enrique said during the interview.
Another app that can be used as a  communication device and teaching tool is See.Touch.Learn, which replaces traditional picture cards that have been used for years in educating children with special needs, with speech delays, pre-schoolers, individuals who suffered a stroke and more.
“It allows the teacher to create lessons using those pictures, the same way they used to do with traditional picture books, or  index cards,”  Jim McClafferty, developer and President of Brain Parade, LLC told Foxnews.com.
An example of what an interactive lesson might look like is a grouping of pictures that show faces both happy and sad. The exercise asks the user to choose the “happy” face.
“This would traditionally be done with the cards and the child would pick the card,” McClafferty said. A bell sounds when the user has chosen the correct answer.
See.Touch.Learn is used to not only teach new words and concepts, but to foster self-expression. McClafferty said the power of the app is in the community using it.
He added, “we’ve got over 200,000 users, in 104 countries right now that use the application, and we are going to let them share images,” creating an unlimited library.
Mendez said she is thankful that now Enrique is able to be a "normal" kid and interact with friends.
“I want a pretzel,” Enrique repeated.
Mendez smiled at her son and said, “Just like a typical child that will not stop asking you for what he wants until he gets what he wants . . . like a typical 9-year-old.”
“Thank you, gracias,” Enrique replied.
“I’m so glad you said that because I was just about to say your manners are unbelievable,” Mendez told her son.
Another highlight of incorporating the technology into their lives is that the family has learned so much about Enrique, like his favorite color and that he has a very silly side.
“Thank you, David for giving me a voice,” the iPad sounded, and the Mendez family cheered.
Download Proloquo2Go: Apple iTunes. 
Mobilewalla score: out of 100.
Download See.Touch.Learn.: Apple iTunes.
Mobilewalla score: out of 100.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2012/08/16/down-syndrome-boy-able-to-communicate-like-never-before-thanks-to-ipad-apps/#ixzz23oYZvT2U

Twins with Down syndrome communicate with sign language while they learn to speak

by Hart Seely from The Post-Standard:
They received the news in the hospital, soon after the twins were born. They would never forget the words: Down syndrome.
“I said, ‘What will we do?’” the mother recalled. “And he just said, ‘We’ll love them, that’s all.’ And that was the answer.”
So it goes in the home of Trish and Tim Graham, where the meaning of life arrived on June 28, 2007, in the form of two tiny infants, swaddled in pink. The Liverpool couple are raising three children: Timmy, 8, and his sisters, 5-year-old Sophie and Sara, twins born with a genetic disability for which the only known remedy is a loving family.
For generations, children with Down syndrome faced an inability to speak, to ask for a glass of water or the time of day. Through early intervention school programs, the twins have learned a basic sign language, a hand-based vocabulary of essential words. They form sentences and talk to each other, bridging a gap that once could have meant a childhood of solitude.
In this learning process, they’re not alone.
“We knew we would need patience, and hopefully, we will have enough of it,” Trish Graham said recently. “But I think we’re stronger than we ever thought we were.”
The Grahams work for National Grid, both in the downtown Syracuse office, although Tim’s position often requires travel throughout the Northeast. They met in 1996, when he moved to Syracuse, and they married five years later. When their son, Timothy, arrived in 2003, they figured parenthood would follow a normal course. And when Trish became pregnant with twins, they braced themselves for challenges that, in retrospect, seem minor.
Down syndrome results from an extra copy of one human chromosome. Every year, the developmental disability affects about 5,000 newborns in the United States. A century ago, most would die before adolescence. Today, they survive to advanced ages and enjoy meaningful lives.

 

When her son was born with Down sdrome 22 years ago, Shari Bottego of Fayetteville was handed a book saying he would not live past age 10.

“I just closed it and said, ‘Get me a new book,’” recalled Bottego, who later founded the Down Syndrome Association of Central New York.

Today, her group — a loose membership of about 180 families — dispenses up-to-date information and helps connect parents to preschool programs that will become critical to their lives. Her son volunteers at the local library or the church. He has friends and family.
“Our son brought us a new perspective on what is important,” Bottego said. “He a bubbly, fun, caring person. ... If you ever met him, you wouldn’t forget him.”
Bottego said the toughest obstacle for Down syndrome families is often having to fight for their child with cash-strapped school districts that are looking for places to cut costs. Once a child is diagnosed, the parent’s world becomes a nonstop treadmill of tests, applications and paperwork. But the services become a lifeline.
“You pick your battles, and you learn,” Bottego said.

The Grahams speak of their children’s teachers and therapists with a reverence that extends beyond most family-school relationships. They say they’ve been blessed by an abundance of support from the community. The twins spend mornings at Main Street, a North Syracuse Early Education Program that serves 350 preschoolers, with and without disabilities. There, speech therapists teach sign and verbal cues.
“We have children who come here, and they are non-verbal, and later they are able to go into kindergarten, talking. Those are huge changes, and everybody can see that,” said Main Street language therapist Eileen Spillane-Healy. “But then there are the small accomplishments, like two kids using signs to express their thoughts. That’s how I measure success: Do we make changes in a child’s life?”
The act of speaking requires a dexterity that is especially difficult for children with Down syndrome. In recent months, the twins have increasingly showed signs of vocalizing. One day, when Tim picked up Sophie from the Gingerbread House, the daycare program where they spend afternoons, she said “Daddy,” clear as a bell. They viewed it a breakthrough. Another time, she called her sister’s name.
“It’s a glimmer of hope,” Trish said. “We’re building on it.”
The parents have learned sign language as well, but they always use words, encouraging the twins to speak.
“You tell them to get the dolly or the blanket, and they’ll get it,” Trish said. “Tim and I are learning as we go.”

The meaning of life. One day at a time.
“Sometimes, you’re just trying to get through the day,” Trish said. “He works full time. I work full time. It’s a lot of stress. It’s a lot of figuring out who’s going here, who’s going there. But we’ve been dealt this hand. All we can do is the best we can.”
“Look, this is not what defines us,” she said later. “Everyone has something going on. Some people take care of sick parents, some take care of sick husbands or wives. We have kids with special needs. That’s all.”
She looked at her husband and smiled. The girls were getting ready for bed.
“I used to say, ‘Wow, a kid with Down, that must be tough,’” Tim Graham said. “Now, I don’t feel sorry for them at all. I know how they love that kid, just as much as anyone else does.
“I think people think, ‘Oh, that must be devastating.’” he continued. “But you just roll up your sleeve, because you love your kids. You learn that what matters with your kid is not what they’re going to be. What matters is whether they will be happy. What matters is that they will love their lives.”
“We have the greatest kids in the world,” he said later. “And I think Trish said it perfectly: Everybody has something. We just happen to have two kids with special needs. These are our kids. This is our lives. We love it.”

iPads help students in special education learn

from The Daily Times by Jenny Kane:
Davie Jacobs sat at his desk while his teacher asked him to read the next page of a lesson on farm vegetables. He has Down Syndrome, a chromosomal disorder that delays physical and mental development.

A teaching assistant gently took his finger and directed it to an iPad on his desk. Davie's finger followed the sentence on the screen, the same one in his classmates' paper handbooks and, as his finger moved, a grown man's crisp, low voice recited the words.

"Potato," said the voice, as Davie's finger crossed over the boldly typed word accompanied by a picture.

If Davie could speak, he would not have the deep tone of middle-aged man, but for the time being, the man's voice is Davie's voice.

Davie is just one of the special education students in the district who is using iPad programs for both engagement and enablement. It is reflective of a growing interest in technology among those invested in special education.

This year, the Bloomfield school district distributed about 30 iPads to students in special education, an experiment that is becoming increasingly popular with school districts around the nation. Little research currently exists regarding the effectiveness of such methods, but the feedback from educators across the nation is positive.

"They think they're having fun and playing a game. I think they're learning," said Ehren Gieske, an occupational therapist with the district.

While not all special education students using iPads are without the use of their voice, many are reliant on those around them for either physical or mental assistance. Some use the technology to advance abilities that they have, and their curriculum is less centered on the technology.

Some students, for example, better learn coordination on an iPad because they can draw, but are not forced to hold a pencil to do so; they can use their finger. Others learn how to better articulate because the iPad can repeat back what it thinks students are trying to say, showing students what words or sounds they need to work on once they see which words were misunderstood.

"What I see is student empowerment," said Jennifer Martin, the district's communications specialist.

While many of the lessons are nothing new, the medium by which the lessons are taught is changing how educators look at the potential of students.

Davie, for example, likely never will be self-sufficient. However, with the iPad, his parents and teachers both take pictures of what he has done during his time with them. When Davie arrives at class or at home, he has a series of pictures of himself with explanations that relate what is going on in those photos.

While he is unable to type out the explanations or take the pictures, he is able to relay them to those around him by touching the screen.

"A lot of people think this is just for fun," said Martin, but she argues instead that the technology gives students such as Davie a means to communicate. Already, she said, he has his favorite programs, indicated by his tendency to click on specific programs more than others.

Additionally, the iPad is not the sole tool used to teach students, who still use tangible items such as books, puzzles and toys.

"It's not the end-all, be-all," said Gieske.

The district this year spent about $70,000 in stimulus funds on innovative technologies for special education, a pricetag that included the each of the $400 iPads and other items.

"We provide whatever would support our kids the best," said Lorna Bulwan, coordinator of student services for Bloomfield schools.

It will take several years before much data is available concerning special education students using iPads, but educators believe the qualitative evidence tells the iPads are helping the students retain knowledge and skills. Also, lessons can be taught more efficiently using the iPads, which work more quickly than the older technologies, teachers said.

"There's a lot of enthusiasm," said Bulwan.

iPad: more than a toy it's a powerful teaching tool

From PRWeb from ACDS:

The iPad isn't just about fun and games, it's a voice for those who are unable to or just learning to speak, and a powerful teaching tool. For the last year, many students at ACDS have been able communicate, some for the first time, thanks to the iPad.

"With our population, it's exciting to use 21st century technology to help us with our goal of preparing children to transition on into the public school setting at the age of 5," explained Cecilia Barry, SBL/SDL, principal of ACDS, an early intervention and special education preschool working with individuals with Down syndrome, Autism spectrum disorders and other developmental disabilities and their families.

The road to the iPad began when Jessica Litwack, one of ACDS' speech/language pathologists first heard about how iPads were being used at a convention of the American Speech & Hearing Association in 2010. When she got an iPad as a Christmas present and played with it, she saw the potential. Then there was a student, diagnosed with Apraxia, an oral-motor speech disorder, who had difficulty communicating verbally. His tech savvy parents had discovered the iPad was an effective communication aid for their son at home and his speech therapist coordinated utilization of the iPAD for home and school. Thus, an idea was born.

With donations from the Parent Teacher Organization, individual parents, as well as one provided by the Nassau Suffolk Chapter of the Autism Society of America, ACDS now has 11 iPads. Ideally, ACDS would like all 15 pre-school teachers to have an iPad; right now they are used primarily by the speech pathologists. Better still, ACDS aspires to create a library of iPads that could be loaned out to students.

Using the iPad, ACDS' littlest ones, those ages 2-5, have been able to communicate -- some for the first time. The touch-and-swipe screen gives them the ability to express themselves and serves as a tool that enables these children to participate in classroom activities with their peers.

"The iPad is being used across disabilities and has been remarkable in particular for (use with children with) autism spectrum disorder as well as those with Down syndrome,” said Barry.

The iPad is versatile and can be used as an augmentative device to help individuals communicate. However, the iPad is significantly less expensive than the thousands of dollars that other augmentative devices can cost. It's also just cool, fun, and socially acceptable which matters to children who have shown that they are motivated to learn with the iPad.

"With the iPad, children are motivated to focus and pay attention for a longer period of time. Many children with Down syndrome and autism spectrum disorders are visual learners, so the iPad appeals to their learning style," ¬said Barry. "These kids are not reading, they're using pictures to communicate. For example, they can touch a picture of a sandwich or chicken nuggets on the iPad screen to indicate their preference and a voice recorded on the iPad states their preference in response to their touch," explained Litwack.

Another effective teaching tool of the iPad is it’s camera. It enables the iPad to become more dynamic and specifically geared to each child’s needs. An ACDS teacher recently used the iPad as a means of assessing knowledge of identification of classmates for a child who was unable to speak. Using the ipad’s camera, the teacher took a picture of the individual children in the classroom. The student was shown the iPad with these pictures and was asked to identify his friends when they were named. By touching the pictures on the iPad he was able to pick them out one by one – thus displaying a skill no one previously knew he had.

The iPad has opened a whole new world. "Everybody loves The Itsy Bitsy Spider. But it's different when the kids can touch the screen and it comes to life for them," said Barry.

There are numerous apps designed for children with special needs. “The iPad has apps that not only teach readiness skills in a fun way, but many apps also have the ability to automatically record data on students progress,” said Tricia Leahy, special education teacher. “We can monitor their progress with data that is automatically calculated at our finger tips!”

What's key, is ACDS' coordination with parents. “If an upcoming classroom topic is winter and the target words are coat or hat, I would have parents review the vocabulary pictures on their child’s iPad with their child so that the child would be prepared for the lesson in school. This prepares them to participate, to have a voice with the lesson," said Michele Harrington, Speech/Language Pathologist. The goal, if the child has their own iPad, is to have them practice at home.

Much is said about how technology is being misused by young people, but for the children at ACDS, technology is changing lives. "This is a great opportunity" said Barry.

ACDS, located in Plainview, New York is dedicated to providing lifetime resources of exceptional quality, innovation and inclusion for individuals with Down syndrome, Autism and other developmental disabilities and their families. ACDS has been providing programs and services in and around Long Island for 45 years. ACDS currently serves more than 750 children and adults, providing services that include Early Intervention and preschool special education programs, respite and recreation programs for children, teens and adults, adult Medicaid service coordination and seven supervised group homes in Nassau County.

"Go Talk" communication board helps student participate

from Otago Daily Times by Lucy Ibbotson:

Eight-year-old Caleb Smith is discovering a whole new world at his fingertips thanks to a simple piece of adaptive IT equipment which is breaking down the communication barriers associated with his Down Syndrome.

• Charity auction planned

The Wanaka Primary School pupil is among the many children who have received support from the Upper Clutha Children's Medical Trust since it was formed in November 2009.

Speech and language skills are an area of particular difficulty for most young people with Down Syndrome. However, after receiving a "Go Talk" communication board last year with funding from the trust, the transformation in Caleb had been remarkable, his teachers said.

"It just immediately broadened his options for communicating," the school's special education needs co-ordinator, Leanne Little, said.

"He's trying to verbalise more, it's encouraging him to talk." Special needs teacher Julie Fitzgerald has also been amazed at Caleb's progress since he started using the board, which plays simple pre-programmed words and phrases at the touch of a button.

"It's just given him a voice really," Mrs Fitzgerald said.

"More than anything it also changes people's attitudes to him because people realise that he's actually got something to say. It's not only changed Caleb's life, but it's given people around him a new perspective of him.

"It just showed we'd been underestimating him." The new communication tool had also revealed Caleb's "cracking sense of humour", she said.

Caleb's mother, Philippa Smith, had noticed an obvious change in her son at home, too.

"He's a bit more confident that we understand what he's saying," she said.

Members of the trust were thrilled the support they had given Caleb's family was making such a positive difference.

"It seems to have opened a new world for him and that's really what we hoped would happen," trust chairman Peter Wilson said.

"It really encourages us with our fundraising as well when you see results like this," trust member Yvonne Gale added.

The trust provides financial support to Upper Clutha families who are finding it difficult to meet the costs of medical treatment for their children. It has received a steady flow of applications for a diverse range of medical requirements since it was established. It has supported 36 families to date by giving funding for specialist treatment, transport and accommodation costs and other activities which can help manage medical problems such as physiotherapy and modified wheelchairs.

Summer literacy program to boost communication skills

from newsdurhamregion.com:
 
Jill Clements-Baartman knows what a difference speech can make in a person's life. Since she began working with people with Down syndrome in the early 1980s, she has seen a world of opportunities open up for those who develop their language skills.
 
"It's extremely important,"says Ms. Clements-Baartman, a speech pathologist involved in a summer literacy program being launched next month by the Durham Down Syndrome Association.
 
"They're very capable individuals and basically everything in our daily lives depends upon effective communication so the more that we can support effective communication, as well as literacy skills, the greater access that they have to activities in the community."
 
The program offers participants, ages 10 and older, a chance to interact with one another while engaging in various activities, including pottery, wood sculpting and bowling.
 
"On the Monday and Tuesday, there are specific language and literacy goals for each of the participants and then the Thursday, they work at home to develop a presentation and that can be a whole range of different things, depending on the individuals'abilities,"says Ms. Clements-Baartman.
 
The Durham Down Syndrome Association is a non-profit charitable organization, which supports families and other members of the community in working to improve life for people with Down syndrome.
 
Ms. Clements-Baartman, who's been involved with the organization for nearly 20 years, currently runs a direct therapy program called Talking, Language and Communication for children with special needs at a nursery school in Whitby.
 
Speech improvement is one of the biggest challenges for people with Down syndrome, according to association chairman Walter Heeney.
 
"Parents'biggest problem when their child is one to five years old is wondering how to get them to express themselves so you've got them learning a bit of sign language and anything you can before they get into the school system,"he says.
 
Equipped with heightened communication skills, those with Down syndrome -- including Mr. Heeney's daughter Jan, who has been working as a librarian assistant at a school in Pickering for the past 13 years -- can make the most of their lives, he adds.
 
"I've got young kids in this program that are 20 and they're coming out of high school next year. It's our challenge to help them get a job, whether it's volunteer or paid. It's about having a position and somewhere to go to be part of a team."