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Milestones and Down Syndrome: Hurry up and Slow down

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Milestones and Down Syndrome

Milestones and Down Syndrome,  something nearly every parent on this path Googles.

Once parents use the almighty Google, Milestones and Down Syndrome should be listed right next to the verb, patience.

These milestones are a concept I never gave much thought to with my typical kiddos.  I mean, in a vague sense I knew about when they would start to babble, sit, crawl and walk, but I wasn’t hyper sensitive to it.  When one of my children didn’t walk until she was 14 months old, I didn’t worry, I just knew it would come eventually.  When one of my children didn’t talk much until almost 2, again, no worries I knew it would be fine.

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Top 10 Baby Shower Gifts for a Baby with Down Syndrome

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Top 10 Baby shower gifts for a baby with Down Syndrome

Top 10 Baby Shower Gifts for a Baby with Down Syndrome

It has been said before and it is worth repeating, babies with Down Syndrome are just babies.  There is a higher incidence of health problems related to having an extra copy of the 21st Chromosome (read more about what Down Syndrome is here) but overall, these babies will need many of the same things as other newborns and they deserve to be celebrated.

You know mom is expecting a chromosomally enhanced little one, so what should you get for her?  Here are some tips with our Top 10 Baby Shower Gifts for a Baby with Down Syndrome.

*Amazon Affiliate Links Included

(NOTE:  These items are in no particular order but all of them would likely be appreciated by any mom, especially one expecting a genetically enhanced babe)

  1. A Baby tub like the Fisher-Price 4-in-1 Sling ‘n Seat Tub, Pink or the Shnuggle Baby Bath Tub   The thing about babies with Down Syndrome is that they will often use products longer than typical babies.  It may take longer for baby to sit up independently so using a baby tub is often something that can go well close to the first birthday, a bigger baby tub or one that can aid in baby’s upright sitting position is a HUGE help to a new mama.

 

2. Tummy Time Toys such as a travel playmat like the Tummy Time Musical Baby Activity Mat 

or this cute giraffe activity pillow.  Babies with Down Syndrome will often spend lots of recommended time on their tummies in an effort to build up their neck muscles for proper head control. As this is very important, so is keeping these little ones engaged and entertained with fun tummy toys!

3. Assisted sitting is something that often goes on for a bit longer so baby shower gifts for a baby with Down Syndrome should not be without some of these great items that a future physical therapist may love to use with the baby as well. The Fisher-Price Sit-Me-up Floor Seat or the caterpillar which was one of our absolute favorite toys to use for prop sitting!

Items like these help baby get an expanded view of the world even if learning to independently sit may take a bit longer.

4. Highchairs can be tricky because many of them allow for too much slouch for a baby with hypotonia (low muscle tone) which is very common for babies with Down Syndrome.  In order to learn proper posture a seat that can be adjusted as close to a 90 degree angle as possible is best, we love the OXO Tot Sprout High Chair Which can also grow with baby and accommodate an older child easily.

5. No new mama wants to be without a way to keep a close eye on her babe, and this is even more important if there are any health issues accompanying the Down Syndrome Diagnosis.  Babies with Down Syndrome can sometimes be a bit sleepier too so keeping a close eye offers mom some peace of mind.  The thing that is great about the Infant Optics monitor is that it is unable to be hacked as it is a closed circuit monitor so no worries about computer hackers intercepting your baby monitor. (this is the one we use)

 

6.  Babies with Down Syndrome are at a higher risk of respiratory issues so to keep things moving along nicely these two products are a must at our house (especially if baby is to be born just before or during cold and flu season).  TheOCCObaby Baby Nasal Aspirator  is a great choice as well as the Nasal Frida.  Oh, and don’t forget the VicTsing Cool Mist Humidifier.

These items are great for mom and dad to have on hand so they don’t have to run to the store at the first sign of a snotty cold.

7. We all want smart little ones and what better way to help our little ones learn than by reading to them.  These books all have something very special in that they are geared towards children with Down Syndrome (and their siblings).  These books can also be comforting and encouraging to a new parent expecting a child with Down Syndrome.

8.  When it comes time for teething no mom and dad should be without a good aresenal of chewie toys.  However, often children with Down Syndrome may take a little longer to be able to hold onto a toy that will allow them the relief of chewing.  This is where the yummy mitt comes in (check out our review here).  This mitt is awesome because it allows baby to avoid the frustration of dropping the chew toy while trying to ease the fussies.

9. Beloved by speech therapists and pediatricians, the Nuk brush doubles as a way to teach baby to brush when the teeth start coming in but also as a way to get baby to wake up those oral motor skills that can sometimes be delayed.

10. The baby bullet should actually rank at #1 for this list, but as I mentioned before, these are in no particular order.  Why is this so important?  Because children with Down Syndrome can need special care in the feeding department sometimes as it relates to textures and sometimes the amount of fiber in thier diets.  For this reason, making your own babyfood is a huge benefit, just read this post to find out why.

Above all of the suggestions mentioned here, the first and foremost important thing for a parent who is expecting a child with Down Syndrome is to know that they have your support, love and congratulations.  Now go wow the expectant parents with some awesome gifts!

Related Post: Best Gifts for Babies and Toddlers with Down Syndrome 

Caleb’s Story- Down Syndrome Diagnosis After Birth

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Down Syndrome Caleb Prewitt

Caleb was a surprise all the way around.  Going back late summer 2006, when I hadn’t been feeling quite right.  “I think I’ll buy a pregnancy test”, I said to David, my husband.  He outright laughed.  We had been told by my OB that I was really not able to get pregnant.   Our daughter was 17 years old, and looking at graduating soon and going off to college.

The next day, I sat in the bathroom, stunned.

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What You Need to Know About Homeschooling Your Child with Down Syndrome

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homeschooling and down syndromeHomeschooling was not what I had planned on doing some years ago, but God led us in that direction and we said goodbye to the public school system 7 years ago, never to look back.  When Cedar was born with a Down Syndrome diagnosis, I worried if we would be able to continue to homeschool with him too and I have since decided that is likely the path we will continue on for his education in the years to come.

Related Post: Why I plan to homeschool my child who has Down Syndrome

So how do you do this thing called “homeschooling?”  It really isn’t as hard or daunting as you may think.  The first thing you need to know is what the law is in your particular state.  You can click HERE to see the laws for all 50 states. Some states, like Texas and Michigan, require nothing from the parent, not even notification of the intent to homeschool.  Other states, like Pennsylvania, New York and Rhode Island require a high level of monitoring and notifications.  The rest of the 50 states fall somewhere in between.

What is homeschooling?  It is the act of educating your child at home in lieu of in the public school building.  For our children with special needs, some of the programs that the school offers are not available to you and will have to be sought privately (speech therapy for example) but that also depends on the state you live in. When you think of homeschooling, you can think of it as having 2 schools of thought.

There is PARENT DRIVEN homeschooling and PUBLIC SCHOOL ONLINE homeschooling.

The latter of the two is essentially just removing your child from the brick and mortar building and allowing them to be taught, via computer, at home.  The curriculum, tests, and record keeping is on the public school to do, you just have to ensure your child logs in and does their work.  However, the caveat is that you may not be able to tailor this type as much as you can with PARENT DRIVEN homeschooling.

PARENT DRIVEN homeschooling is where the parent is the driving force and leader of the homeschooling.  This can be done by purchasing a box curriculum by grade, purchasing one subject at a time in an a la carte fashion, or even developing your very own curriculum, as long as you are adhering to whatever the laws of your own state are.  This is definitely the most flexible version of homeschooling and likely will lend itself best to parents of children with special needs.

The beauty of it is, no one knows your child better than you do, and no one will work harder to help them succeed than you will.  You know your child’s abilities, and their limitations and you know how to teach them in the manner that will help them learn the best. If writing 2 + 2 = 4 on worksheets doesn’t click, then you can easily forgo the worksheets and start using tangible items, like grapes, buttons, or any other thing your child likes to get the point across.  You are in charge and are able to get as creative as your own ability allows.

If you are just beginning to think about homeschooling here are a few places you should make a note of.

For preschoolers:

From Playdough to Plato is a great site for free printables, as is Easy Peasy all in one homeschool.

ABCmouse.com is also a great resource if your child likes to work on a computer. The Dollar Tree is a fantastic resource as their education nook boasts workbooks galore, for only $1!!!!

For gradeschoolers and beyond:

Easy Peasy all in one homeschool also has sections for gradeschoolers.  I highly suggest attending a homeschool convention in or near your state.  My personal favorite is the GHC. We also love shopping for curriculum on Christianbook.com

In addition, there is a site called Teachers Pay Teachers where you can find all kinds of great resources that won’t break the bank, especially if you are using unit studies.

In all honesty, a big cup of coffee, a healthy dose of patience and a great printer are the basics that you need to begin homeschooling.  A little bit of support from a homeschooling community, and a can-do attitude.

Here is my favorite printer and an explanation of why.

Oh, and before I forget…all the naysayers who worry about “socialization” have it all wrong.  If anything, we often have to turn social opportunities down because we have so many available to us.  We attend literature classes at our public library and the little ones attend story hour, we have sports, 4H, church and volunteer activities to keep us busy too.  There are moms groups, playdates, field trips and so much more so if this is something you are considering don’t worry too much about your little one not having opportunity to socialize.

 

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