Helen Lee (down syndrome)

1) How is your disability defined by the federal and state laws?Down syndrome is a condition in which extra genetic material causes delays in the way a child develops, and often leads to mental retardation. It affects 1 in every 800 babies born.

2) What are the developmental characteristics of persons with this disability? (This would include cognitive, social, emotional, physical, as well as levels of functioning.)Children with Down syndrome usually have a low muscle tone and loose joints. Babies with DS may learn how to sit up, crawl, and walk later than the other babies. Also, they tend to grow at a slower rate and remain smaller than their peers. For infants, low muscle tone may contribute to sucking and feeding problems, as well as constipation and other digestive issues. In toddlers and older children, there may be delays in speech and self-care skills like feeding, dressing, and toilet teaching.

3.) If you were a teacher in a general education classroom, what information and strategies would help you best support a child with this disability?
The teacher should first find information about Down syndrome. Many children with Down syndrome go to regular schools and they may attend regular classes. Some might need special classes for a specific subject. Because children with down syndrome affects their physical appearance, the teachers should maybe talk to children about down syndrome and tell them that they should not make fun of them. Many children with down syndrome gets teased often at school because of their appearance. By teasing them, they may have low self esteem and also cause depression. We should try to encourage these children and help them in certain ways.

4) What resources would help you as a teacher to serve this child?
http://www.ndss.org/
http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/birth_defect/down_syndrome.html
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/downsyndrome.html
http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=downsyndrome

Questions to help you create posts under your assigned disability category

Working with your partner, you will create a post under your assigned disability category that addresses the following questions:

1) How is your disability defined by the federal and state laws?
2) What are the developmental characteristics of persons with this disability? (This would include cognitive, social, emotional, physical, as well as levels of functioning.)
3) If you were a teacher in a general education classroom, what information and strategies would help you best support a child with this disability? This would include academic support as well as social support.
4) What resources would help you as a teacher to serve this child? (This would include websites, agencies, people within the school; a two to three line description is required for each resource.)

If you have a disability category that is large, such as social and emotional disorders, the larger category has been broken down into two subparts (internalizing and externalizing disorders). You should provide summary information about the broad disability as a whole (social and emotional disorders), but provide specific information about your subpart for the four focus questions listed above.

Social and Emotional Disorders (internalizing disorders)

If your topic is social and emotional disorders with a focus on internalizing disorders, please post the answers to your four questions here.

Social and Emotional Disorders (externalizing disorders)

If your topic is social and emotional disorders (externalizing disorders), please post the answers to the four questions here.

Mental Retardation (Genetic Based)

If your topic is mental retardation genetically based such as Williams Syndrome, PKU or Down Syndrome), please post the answers to your four questions here

Learning Disabilities (Mathematics and Organizational Skills)

If your topic is learning disabilities with a focus on mathematics and organizational difficulties, please post the answers to your four questions here.

Learning Disabilities (Reading and Writing)

If learning disabilities with a focus on reading/writing difficulties is your topic, please post the answers to the four questions here.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing

If deafness/hard of hearing is your topic, please post the answers to the four questions here.

Chronic Health Impairments and Illnesses

If chronic health impairments and illnesses (such as juvenile diabetes, asthma, cancer) are your topic, please post the answers to the four questions here.

Pervasive Developmental Disorders (Asperger's Syndrome and Retts Disorder)

If pervasive developmental disorders (Aspergers and Retts) is your topic, please post the answers to the four questions here.

ADHD/ADD

If ADHD/ADD is your topic, post your answers to the four questions here.