Your child has Down Syndrome
Children with Down Syndrome often suffer from sensory processing disorder as well. Because their muscle tone is poor, they do not ‘feel’ their body properly. They do not stand firmly on the ground, they are clumsy sometimes and may dislike being touched. Being moved, for example on a swing, scares them easily.
They do move themselves and touch things themselves, sometimes too frequently. Playing games with them is a good way to enable them to react to being touched and being moved. As a result they become more conscious of their body and their movements. Thus they pay more attention to what they are doing and are better able to react to their environment.
The following activities and games may be suitable:
- Domestic activities
- Activities with both hands
- Provide enough physical exercise
- Lying on top of different materials
- Swaddling or wrapping up in a blanket
- Towing on a blanket
- Skating on rugs
- Something to feel
- Hiding under cuddly toys
- Hiding in a playhouse or under a large piece of cloth
- Playing in a box
- Playing with chestnuts
- Massage with different materials
- The use of the foot massage bath
Els Rengenhart © 2009