Sweet Success!

Today I wanted to share some of the successes that I see with the Changing Minds protocol. I got an email the other day from the mom of 6 year old twins, one of whom has DS. She was sharing how his language skills had improved.

"Some of the things that amaze me are little bits and pieces of conversation - where he may be telling me about a favorite memory, or he will bring up something we taught him a few days ago. Or maybe he ends my sentence, showing he understands where I was going! Or it may just be his use of language - full complex sentences. An example of his sense of humor, language skills, and cognition all wrapped together:
We were getting breakfast before school, Sam (his twin) had already finished and was in the bathroom, brushing his teeth. I was trying to hurry Warren, and I said, "Come on you need to get your teeth brushed, just eat one more bite Sa..Warren!". Warren's head snapped towards me with a smile, he said clear as day, "You were going to call me Sam! I heard you say Sa! You got us mixed up, Mommy!". I said, "I know - you are right, I did mix you up." He said, "That's OK - it happens all the time." I asked, "It does? People call you Sam and Sam, Warren?". "Yes - they mix us up sometimes.", he laughed. (without prompting) He ate another bite of cereal, put his spoon in his bowl and handed it to me, saying "here you go". Then he did his usual, "Let's race - on your mark, get set, go! I'm going to win!"...and I just smiled as I jogged behind him!"

Most kids with DS don't speak in complete sentences like that! They don't use proper syntax. Warren's language skills are amazing, don't you think?

I saw Warren at this year's Butterfly Flutter By. I had a conversation with him and was completely amazed at his syntax and complete sentence structure. We were talking about the food and snacks that were there. Warren said "My mommy said I can only have one donut. It's junk food and it'll give me a tummy ache."