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DOWN SYNDROME. Tyler Stevenson EDSP 6644 December 1, 2009. DEFINITION OF THE DISABILITY. “ A condition resulting from an abnormality with the twenty-first pair of chromosomes: Most common abnormality is a triplet rather than a pair (sometimes referred to as trisomy 21)” (Hallahan, 586)
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DOWN SYNDROME Tyler Stevenson EDSP 6644 December 1, 2009
DEFINITION OF THE DISABILITY • “ A condition resulting from an abnormality with the twenty-first pair of chromosomes: Most common abnormality is a triplet rather than a pair (sometimes referred to as trisomy 21)” (Hallahan, 586) • Characterized by intellectual disabilities and such physical signs as: • Slanted-appearing eyes • A single palmar crease • Shortness • A tendency toward obesity
PREVALENCE • “Down Syndrome is the most common form of intellectual disability that is present at birth” (Hallahan, 151) • “There are more than 400,000 people living with Down syndrome in the United States.” (www.nds.org) • “One in every 733 babies is born with Down syndrome.” (www.nds.org) • “The incidence of births of children with Down syndrome increases with the age of the mother. But due to higher fertility rates in younger women, 80% of children with Down syndrome are born to women under 35 years of age.” (www.nds.org)
BEHAVIORAL CHARACTERISTICS • “Degree of intellectual disability varies widely among people with DS. Most people fall in the moderate range.” (Hallahan, 152) • IQ’s have gone up in recent years as a result of intense special ed. Programs • “Dementia or mental deterioration occur in more than half of the people with DS over fifty years of age.” (Hallahan, 152)
BEHAVIORAL CHARACTERISTICS CONTINUED • Wandering/Running off • Safety first • Stubborn/Oppositional Behaviors • Lack of understanding or frustration • Attention Problems • Proper teaching strategies to help • Obsessive/Compulsive Behaviors • More common in younger children with DS
EDUCATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS Tips for teaching students with DS: • Have high expectations. • When planning a student’s instructional program, be guided by the student’s individual abilities and needs. • Seat away from windows and doors. • Small group instruction is more beneficial than large group.
EDUCATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS CONTINUED Tips for teaching students with DS: • Model tasks and give students many opportunities to perform them. • Ask students to repeat instructions. • Present only a few stimuli at a time. • Be flexible with attaining educational goals.
BIBLIOGRAPHY • Goodwin, E. (1979). National down syndrome society. Retrieved from http://www.ndss.org • Hallahan, D.P., Kauffman, J.M., & Pullen, P.C. (2009). Exceptional learner: an introduction to special education. Pearson.