Question
How soon can it be beneficial to start Speech therapy for a baby with Down Syndrome?
Answer
Ideally, speech therapy begins shortly after birth in the context of feeding. This should come as no surprise considering the relationship between oral-motor ability for swallowing and speech production. Proper body positioning (i.e., keeping the infant's mouth lower than the ears) forces the baby to exercise the oral muscles necessary for drawing the milk while preventing it from flowing into the Eustachian tubes. As an added bonus, tongue retraction is encouraged which ultimately benefits speech production.
Although you will find frequent recommendations to begin therapy at birth, there is little written to guide you through the process. You are certain to find the oral-motor and positioning strategies described by Ms. Sara Rosenfeld-Johnson instructive. Dr. Libby Kumin's descriptions of oral and sound stimulation, augmentative communication, and ways to establish a language-rich environment following feeding therapy are also very informative.
Dr. Karen E. Crockett has been a speech-language pathologist for over 30 years and has expansive clinical experience in many settings. She is the owner of Crockett & Associates Communication Clinics, a private practice in the Tampa, Florida, which specializes in treatment programs for developmentally delayed children and adults.
Karen Crockett, Ph.D,CCC-SLP
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