Babies with Down Syndrome: A New Parents' Guide

by Susan Skallerup (Editor), Mitchell Levitz (Foreword by)

Overview

Babies with Down Syndrome, the trustworthy guide which has benefited thousands of families since it was first published in 1985, is completely revised and updated in a new, third edition. Covering the best practices for raising and caring for children with Down syndrome through age five, this book is invaluable to new parents who have welcomed a baby with Down syndrome into their lives.

This new edition incorporates the latest scientific, medical, educational research, and practical information available, as well as parents' suggestions and feedback. Existing chapters have been revised, some completely rewritten by new authors, and in keeping with its parent-friendly reputation, most of the book's contributors are parents of children with Down syndrome. Chapters cover:

What Is Down Syndrome?: A primer on the causes, characteristics, and diagnosis, including the latest information on genetics and prenatal testing;

Adjusting to Your Baby: Advice from an experienced mother on coping with common emotions and announcing the news to friends and family;

Medical Concerns & Treatments: An overview of possible health issues including celiac disease, sleep apnea, diabetes, reflux, and skin problems, with an emphasis on detecting signs early for needed treatment;

Daily Care: The gamut of care from feeding to bathing, with expanded information about toilet training;

Family Life: The impact on siblings and couples, discipline issues, and new material to help everyone understand that a child's behavior is a form of communication;

Development & Learning: Expectations about developmentplus new material on variability in development, learning styles, using reading to develop language, memory strengths and weaknesses, and using play to encourage learning;

Early Intervention: An overview of services and therapies for babies & toddlers with new information on the transdisciplinary approach, providing services in the natural environment, transitioning to preschool, and common questions & answers;

Legal Rights & Financial Issues: Explains your child's educational and legal rights, and financial information, including the latest on federal education and civil rights laws, sources of financial assistance, health insurance, trusts, and guardianship.

Full of new photos, parent statements, updated and expanded resources and reading lists, and a reprint of the inspiring essay, "Welcome to Holland," this guide is everything parents need to build a bright and healthy future for their child with Down syndrome.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781890627553
Publisher:	Woodbine House
Publication date:	09/28/2008
Pages:	358
Sales rank:	67,228
Product dimensions:	8.30(w) x 5.50(h) x 0.90(d)

Table of Contents

Foreword Mitchell Levitz vii Acknowledgements xi Introduction Susan J. Skallerup xiii Chapter 1 What Is Down Syndrome? Chahira Kozma, MD 1 Chapter 2 Adjusting to Your Baby Marilyn Trainer 45 Chapter 3 Medical Concerns in Babies with Down Syndrome Len Leshin, MD 75 Chapter 4 The Daily Care of Your Baby Joan Burggraf Riley, RN, MSN, CFNP Jean Nelson Farley, RN, MSN, CPNP, CRRN 103 Chapter 5 Family Life With Your Baby Marian H. Jarrett, EdD 141 Chapter 6 The Development of Babies with Down Syndrome Sue Buckley, OBE, BA, CPsychol, AFBPsS 169 Chapter 7 Early Intervention Mary Wilt, BSN, RN, CCM 199 Chapter 8 Legal Rights and Hurdles Jo Ann Simons, MSW 241 Afterword: Welcome to Holland Emily Perl Kingsley 281 Glossary 283 Reading List 311 Resource Guide 329 Contributors 347 Index 351

Editorial Reviews

Most Down Syndrome News readers are familiar with an earlier edition of this book, as it is the first book that many new and prospective parents read when they find out their baby has DS. This latest edition keeps the same familiar format: good, factual information mixed with appealing photos and parent statements.

The information throughout has been updated. Half of the chapters have new author experts many of whom are themselves parents of children with DS who know how overwhelming it can be to take in so much new information all at once and they write with a gentle tone.

I remember shedding lots of tears when I read the second edition of this book back in 1996 when Marion was born. It was a very different experience reading this as the mom of an almost (yikes!) 13-year-old. It continues to be a good, positive introduction and a nice refresher for this old-timer.

Down Syndrome News

BABIES WITH DOWN SYNDROME is highly recommended for consumer health information collections. It is clearly written and has a compassionate tone that draws the audience in. while it is designed primarily as a resource for parents, it will also be of benefit to the teachers and therapists who work with very young Down syndrome. The 'extras' include a reprint of the inspiring essay Welcome to Holland, an extensive annotated glossary and resource guide, detailed background on contributors, and an index.

On a personal note, I have a 33 year-old Down syndrome nephew who thrives and continues to be a joy to his family.

CAPHIS Consumer Connections

This book was originally published in 1985 because so little accurate and positive information on Down syndrome was available. Revised for the first time in 13 years and featuring four new chapter authors, it covers information that will be most helpful for families with children from birth to age five. Including the experiences and advice of parents, this should be one of the first books parents read upon receiving their child's diagnosis. The contributors-educators, medical professionals, adults with Down syndrome, and, primarily, parents of children with Down syndrome-along with editor Skallerup, mother of a child with Down syndrome, define Down syndrome and discuss adjusting to your baby, medical concerns and treatments (for example, 40 to 60 percent have some type of heart defect), daily care, family life, postnatal development, the importance of early intervention, and legal rights and hurdles. Highly recommended for parenting collections in public libraries. (Illustrations, glossary, reading list, and resource guide not seen.)
—Elizabeth J. Safford

Library Journal