Children with Down Syndrome and their Developmental Milestones typical child cognitive skills infant toddler child child with down syndrome -Comprehends less than 2-4 words -Notices when caregiver speaks
Children
with Down Syndrome and
their Developmental
Milestones
typical child
cognitive skills
infant
toddler
child
child with down syndrome
-Comprehends less than 2-4 words -Notices when caregiver speaks, but does not yetunderstand simple reprimands such as “no”
-Comprehends approximately 10-15 words -Recognize familiar faces and sounds -Respond to environment with facial expressions -Begins to understand object permanence (9-12months) -Enjoys looking through picture books
-Counting -Identify familiar objects and people in books -Knows the difference between “me” and “you” -Sorting (shape, color, size) -Able to complete 3-4 piece puzzles -Manipulate lids and door handles -Can copy a circle -Builds 6+ block tower
-Motor-speech area of the brain not yet developedwhich can cause a delay in speech -Comprehends around 40-60 words -Use of gestures develops
-Begins asking “why” questions to better understandsomething -longer attention span (5-10 minutes) -Ability to tell someone where they live -Rhyming -Can draw pictures of familiar places and things
-Engages in short (often 2-word) conversations -Recognizes familiar symbols (stop sign, restaurants,etc.) -Counting to 10
Sensory and perceptual skills
infant
toddler
child
-Mature hearing -Track objects with eyes -Looks at hands -Responds to sounds and voices
-Visual problems -Hearing loss (~? of children with Down Syndrome) -Sporadic reactions to sound
-Reacts to extreme temperature changes -Enjoys “messy” play -Copies sounds that are made -Recognizes common dangers (glass, hot objects,stairs)
-Starts to hold eye contact -Frequently watches other children
-Feeds self without difficulty -Able to sit and pay attention for an extended periodof time -Most have 20/20 vision at this point
-Begin to visually recognize environmental cues andsymbols
Language skills
infant
toddler
child
-Baby will engage in ‘joint attention-baby will look atthe same thing caregiver is looking at purposefully -Caregiver engaging in play activities and bookreading with baby encourages them to speak faster -Reacts to sound -Turns head towards sound source -Babbles -Waves ‘bye’
-Usually does not babble until 10-12 months -Understands less than 2-4 words around 6-10months -Does not always turn head towards sound source -Their First oral word is usually between 11-15months
-produces 50 words -Says own name on request -Asks for ‘more’ -Answers to ‘where?’ and ‘what?’ questions -Listens to longer stories -Begins to use adjectives
-Comprehends 100-125 words -Produces 3-6 oral words around age 2 -Follows one step commands -Initiates vocalizations to others -Imitates familiar sounds and actions -Produces animal noises -Acknowledges others with eye contact
-Follows instructions with 2-3 steps -Can name a majority of objects -Can state their name, if they are a boy or girl, andtheir age -Can name their friends -Says words like ‘i’ ‘me’ and ‘you’ -Can carry on a conversation using 2 to 3 sentences
-Understands 250-400 words -Produces 90-150 words -Begins two word 'sentences' -Can name some colors -Can count some objects -Can carry out two stage commands -Pays attention to longer stories
Gross motor skills
infant
toddler
child
-Turns their head towards colors that are bright -Pushes down on legs when feet are on hard surface -Can hold their head up and steady -Reaches for objects, can pick them up -Plays with their feet when laying on back
-Can have hypotonicity -Can hold head steady at 5 months
-Can move in and out of sitting -Pulling to stand and standing -Self-feeding -Release of objects -Eye-hand coordination
-Pushes self to stand -Stands unassisted -Walks with support
-Ability to navigate in the environmentindependently -Can walk on level, graded, or uneven surfaces -Can climb stairs
-Walks unassisted -Walks up steps with help
Eryn Lobo
Tori Hudgings
Emily Lawson
Jessica Kirk
Fine motor skills
infant
toddler
child
-Imitate adults using a cup or telephone -Wave bye-bye -Puts objects in a container -Pulls off shoes, socks, and mittens -Can point to a picture that you name in a book -Makes marks on paper with crayons -Feed themselves with a spoon to feed themselves(not necessarily neatly) -When playing with a book, turns pages, althoughmay turn two or three pages together -Can put on their shoes
-Grasp object -Hold bottle independently -Self feed with fingers -Scribble with crayons -Intentionally drop objects – Eat with spoon
-Reaches for objects and picks them up -Helps hold the bottle during feeding -Uses fingers to point at things
-Floppy not due to weakness -Clinodactyly
-Attempts to draw a person has a two-dimensionalbody (e.g a circle instead of a stick for a body) -Can print some letters (if taught) -Use fork, spoon and (sometimes) a table knife -Can dress and undress without help -When playing with a book, can turn one page at atime
-Drink with open cup -Eat with fork
Social/emotional skills and participation
infant
toddler
child
-Respond to their parent’s voice -Becomes quiet in response to sound, especially tospeech -Makes sounds with expression as if trying to talk -Attempts to imitate sounds when engaged in vocalplay with parent -Lets you know if they are happy or sad
-On track with typical development -Play peek-a-boo and patty cake -Makes “ma-ma” or “da-da” sounds -Wave bye-bye -Points to things they want and tries to use words toask for things -Plays with other children for a few minutes -Demands a lot of your attention -Shows affection
-On track with typical development -More open display of feelings
-Fantasy play -Understand the concept of counting and may knowa few numbers (e.g understands ‘you can only haveone’)
-On track with typical development -Participate in sports by school age -High rates of provocative behavior -Low levels of aggression -Disobedient/ argumentative
ADL/iADL skills
infant
toddler
child
-Dependent for all hygiene -May begin to enjoy bathing -Begins to hold onto bottle -Can feed with fingers -Sucks on solid food rather than chewing
-Due to hypotonia and weakness of the muscles ofthe cheeks, tongue and lips, feeding is difficult forsome infants with Down syndrome. OTs suggestpositioning and feeding techniques.
-Sitting to look at a book independently -Unbuttoning large buttons -Tolerating a range of different textured foods -Distinguishing between urination and bowelmovements, and names correctly -Using a napkin to wipe face and hands -Feeding self simple meals using a fork or spoon -Taking shoes and socks off -Knowing where familiar items are kept -Attempting to brush teeth -Feeding self without difficulty -Tolerating different clothing textures, seams, tags -Independently packing items away -Using a napkin to wipe face and hands
-Can chew solid food and suck through a straw withassistance -Hold bottle independently -Self feed with fingers -Scribble with crayons
-Toileting independently -Brushing teeth independently -Dressing and undressing self (only requiringassistance with laces, buttons, and other fasteners inawkward places) -Begins brushing teeth and wiping nose -Combs/brushes hair
-Eat with spoon and fork -Drink with open cup -Toilet train -Dressing with assistance
Play skills
infant
toddler
child
-Can hold toys and shake them -Can swing at dangling toys -Play contently with family in the room -Plays give and take -Interacts briefly with other infants -Listens to stories
-Will engage with parent -May be able to blow bubbles
-Engaging in imaginative play -Enjoying/tolerating messy play -Taking Turns during play -Begins peer interaction -Imitative play -Can enjoy solitary play
-Will listen to simple stories and point at the pictures -Usually has a favorite toy and will seek or request itwith gestures -Brings objects to show others
-Works puzzles and blocks -Enjoys physical play -Prefers to play with other children -Pretend play becomes more abstract and an objectcan be used to represent something else — a blockcan become a phone, a large box can become a car, aswing can become a space ship .-The young child’s motor skills are improving so theycan enjoy tricycles and throwing games.
-Can select their own story and may tell short stories
References
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cart/Play
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syndrome/
New York State Department of Health Division of Family Health Bureau of Early Intervention. (n.d.) Early intervention shaping futures: Down syndrome quick referenceguide for parents and professionals. Retrieved August 13, 2018 from https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/4957.pdf
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