Gross Motor Skills in Children With Down Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals (Topics in Down Syndrome)

Rating:
Summary: The "bible" of physical therapy
Review: Children with Down syndrome often have low muscle tone (hypotonia) and increased flexibility which can affect overall gross motor development. There are many issues that parents need to be aware of if their child has hypotonia. Even the way you hold your baby can affect his gross motor development. This book shows how to encourage and maximize a child's gross motor development - head control, rolling, sitting, cruising, walking, kicking, jumping - from infancy to age six. Pat Winders has written the "bible" of physical therapy for children with Down syndrome. It contains useful information for parents, therapists, and teachers.

Rating:
Summary: Specific physical therapy targeting the DS child's needs.
Review: Step by step how to guide to help you lead your child to the next level and on from there. The book starts with infancy thru/ walking; then post walking. Post walking is where our child is. We are building an obstical course-like toy to help her "walk on uneven surfaces, up and down incline planes and balance beam skills". Other things we are trying that we learned from this book is the importance of riding toy and challenging her to stand on one foot (like when kicking a ball). Good guide to learn a few tricks to help your 2 - 3 year old with Downs.

Rating:
Summary: Be your DS child's own physical therapist.
Review: Step by step how to guide to help you lead your child to the next level and on from there. The book starts with infancy thru/ walking; then post walking. Post walking is where our child is. We are building an obstical course-like toy to help her "walk on uneven surfaces, up and down incline planes and balance beam skills". Other things we are trying that we learned from this book is the importance of riding toy and challenging her to stand on one foot (like when kicking a ball). Good guide to learn a few tricks to help your 2 - 3 year old with Downs.

Rating:
Summary: Specific physical therapy targeting the DS child's needs.
Review: This book provides step-by-step instructions for guiding the motor development of a child with Down Syndrome. It can be used by physical therapists as a guide to working with DS children or by parents who want to benefit from Ms. Winder's years of experience with DS kids. The techniques described in the book focus on small details specifically tailored to progressively develop appropriate posture and movements. The book guides the practitioner/parent away from practices that may lead to problems at a later date. For example, keeping the child's legs in line, rather than splayed out, will foster joint development in preparation for walking. The book is fully illustrated and easy to follow. My wife and I found the book to be especially helpful. Our infant DS son receives PT through the local school system. While this therapy is valuable, it tends to be somewhat generic. Ms. Winder's book adds the finer points that transform this therapeutic activity into one that specifically targets our son's needs. Developmentally our son is right on target for his age. Whether this is due to luck, prayer or daily PT exercises from the book we don't know. We do believe in giving our son every opportunity to reach his highest potential and believe Ms. Winder's book offers one straight forward approach toward that goal.