• Finding Out
• First Questions
• Telling Others
• Your Feelings
• Looking After Yourselves
• Feeding Your Baby
• Your Baby's Development
• Early Intervention

Your Baby's Development

How should I treat my baby?
You have a baby with the same needs as all babies; so use Plunket, baby books, magazines and support from family and friends just as you planned during pregnancy. Remember, most of your baby’s behaviour is due to being a baby rather than being due to Down syndrome!

• Invlove your baby in everyday family activities, play and interact together as you would with any other baby.

• Your baby may be floppy; make sure your pushchair and car seat offer good support and don’t allow legs to flop apart, carry your baby with legs together not on your hip.

• Your baby may not be responsive; it is still important to talk to your baby about what you are doing and where you are going and respond to your baby’s noises

What will my baby achieve and when?
• Each baby is different. Generally, our babies

• Smile between 1 and 4 months, average 2 months.
• Roll over between 4 and 22 months, average 8 months.
• Sit alone between 6 and 28 months, average 10 months.
• Crawl between 7 and 21 months, average 12 months.
• Finger feed between 8 and 28 months, average 12 months.
• Say first words between 9 and 31 months, average 16 months.
• Walk between 12 and 65 months, average 24 months.

• Like all babies, our babies learn and develop, but their development is slower than that of other children.

•Like all parents we should enjoy our children and celebrate their achievements.

• Although much of our children’s development rate depends on their individual make-up, we can help them through play, everyday activities and early intervention.

What learning problems do our babies have?
• Our children have short arms and legs and have low muscle tone making it harder to learn to move.

• Our children find it hard to learn through their ears and learn better through their eyes. They find it easier to learn to talk if main words are signed.

• Our children find it hard to “just pick things up” and easily forget new skills. Patiently repeating tasks helps them learn.

• Our children may find change hard. Regular routines, doing tasks the same way can be helpful

What is the most important thing I can do to help my child’s development ?
We spoke to three early intervention therapists who said this;

• Love them heaps!! Everything else comes after that.

• Make them feel loved and secure so that they grow up feeling good about themselves.

• Love and nurture your baby and look after yourself. It may be helpful to talk to other parents.