Children with Down Syndrome A Developmental Perspective

The underlying theme of this book is that children with Down syndrome, despite their constitutional anomalies and their additional medical problems, can be understood from a normative developmental framework. The contributions, all of which are based on the latest theories and research, demonstrate that the application of a developmental perspective to the study of young children with Down syndrome sheds light on the universality of ontogenetic sequences, stages, and structures, and highlights the respective roles of biological, perceptual-cognitive, linguistic, social, and emotional factors in the developmental process. Finally, it is shown that the application of a developmental perspective will suggest age and stage-appropriate interventions for Down syndrome children and their families. This will be a suitable book for psychologists, psychiatrists, special education teachers, pediatricians, and other medical researchers interested in Down syndrome and mental retardation, as well as graduate students in these areas.

This volume offers a state-of-art review of what is known about young children with Down syndrome from a developmental perspective. The underlying theme of the book is that children with Down syndrome, despite their constitutional anomalies and their additional medical and biological problems, can be understood from a normative developmental framework. Interventions guided by developmental principles in the biological, educational and psychological realms are more likely to result in informed knowledge about how best to help children with Down syndrome and their families. Children with Down Syndrome will appeal to researchers, theoreticians, educators, and clinicians in a range of disciplines, as well as to parents, social policymakers, and other advocates for the best interests of children with Down syndrome.

Preface; 1. Applying the developmental perspective to individuals with Down syndrome; 2. An organizational approach to the study of Down syndrome: contributions to an integrative theory of development; 3. Temperament and Down syndrome; 4. Interactions between parents and their infants with Down syndrome; 5. Attention, memory, and perception in infants with Down syndrome: a review and commentary; 6. Sensorimotor development of infants with Down syndrome; 7. The growth of self-monitoring among young children with Down syndrome; 8. Early conceptual development of children with Down syndrome; 9. Language abilities in children with Down syndrome: evidence for a specific delay; 10. Beyond sensorimotor functioning: early communicative and play development of children with Down Syndrome; 11. Peer relations of children with Down syndrome; 12. Families of children with Down syndrome: ecological contexts and characteristics; 13. Early intervention from a developmental perspective; Name index; Subject index.

This volume offers a review of what is known about young children with Down syndrome from a developmental perspective. The underlying theme of the book is that children with Down syndrome, despite their constitutional anomalies and their additional medical and biological problems, can be understood from a normative developmental framework.