orts the child in any attempt at communication - thus reducing the demands on a fragile speech-motor system.
- Training in careful listening should precede any production attempts as speech perception is important in the laying down of linguistic and motor processes in the brain.
- Training of others in identifying and understanding the speech patterns of children with Down syndrome in order to enhance the message detection ability of listeners.
- The use of simple rhythms to improve both fluency and sequencing difficulties (clapping of syllables of multisyllable words or short phrases).
- The use of visual and tactile prompts for the placement of speech articulators in order to reduce the auditory memory load.
- A focus on teaching speech and fluency in single functional words or simple phrases through parent support and education.
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Monica Bray is at The Department of Speech and Language Therapy, Leeds Metropolitan University, UK
Correspondence to Monica Bray • e-mail: M.Bray@leedsmet.ac.uk
Paper prepared from presentations and discussions at the Down Syndrome Research Directions Symposium 2007, Portsmouth, UK. The symposiu