01 Mar 🥴Concerned that your child with Down Syndrome is not yet speaking and instead screams and throws tantrums 🤔Wondering how to encourage your child with Down Syndrome to speak without tantrums
Children with Down syndrome have low muscle tone, which can affect the muscles around the mouth and face, making it harder to produce speech sounds accurately.
 In addition, if they have hearing impairments it can significantly affect their ability to learn and use language. Frustrations arising from communication barriers or inability to process emotions can lead to tantrums or emotional outbursts.
Here at My Favourite Physio, our Expert Paediatric Physiotherapists 
see many children with Down Syndrome to help them to learn to move better. In order for the children to learn to move better, they need to be able to follow instructions and understand what is happening around them. As such, our Expert Paediatric Physiotherapists work on encouraging speech and language skills using the following 3 strategies:
1. Behavioural Management
Using Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Positive reinforcement techniques and behaviour modification strategies to help little ones to calm down and follow instructions.
2. Keywords Signing
Using Makaton Signing and alternative communication methods such as visual aids and Finish Box to reduce frustration. Establishing predictable routines to help manage anxiety and resistance to change.
3. Encouraging Vocalisation
Makaton Signing involves both physical hand gestures and vocalisation of the action word to help little ones learn to vocalise to speak. Using the strategy of mouthing the first phonic sound of the words clearly, waiting for a response and then mirroring the sound that the child makes to encourage more vocalisation.
Often by using a combination of the above strategies, we are able to help a little one with Down Syndrome start to speak.
If you have a child with Down Syndrome and you are concerned about their gross motor skills, reach out to My Favourite Physio on 
(02) 9790 4233 or DM us @myfavouritephysio to speak to one of our Expert Paediatric Physiotherapists today!