Raising a Child with Down Syndrome

A former resident of Michigan, Scott Westerman splits his time between blogging, lecturing, writing, and publishing. The CEO of Ramirez and Clark, he is also a regular motivational speaker and maintains both the Keener13.com and RockAndRollRevisited.com websites. In addition, Scott Westerman, formerly of Michigan, heads Down Syndrome Nation, where he promotes Down syndrome awareness and care across the country.

In the United States, roughly 6,000 births a year are Down syndrome births. As with any child, raising a kid with Down syndrome presents many challenges.

Kids with Down syndrome do best with routine, so establishing a daily routine for them makes a big difference. This should include basic activities, like brushing teeth. Since many children with Down syndrome struggle with remembering long lists of chores, give them small tasks. “Brushing teeth” is a better to-do than “brushing teeth, changing into pajamas, and getting in bed.” Break the list up.

Having a picture of this daily schedule also helps children with Down syndrome, since they can see what is expected of them. If they mess up, parents and guardians should avoid punishing them or scorning them. Kids with Down syndrome do not handle negative reinforcement well. Instead, saying things like “try again” garners a much more positive response from kids.

Finally, give the child the opportunity to make decisions as often as possible. This helps them feel empowered while still encouraging them to stick to activities that you approve of. For example, let them choose between apples and oranges for a snack. Both are healthy, but they still appreciate the opportunity to make the decision for themselves.

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