Leeds Community Healthcare
Here is the main webpage for Leeds Community Healthcare Children's Speech and Language Therapy
They also have a really useful 'Toolkit' or Speech and Language resources for all ages and stages which can be found here.
Referral information for NHS Speech and Language Support -The referral links are halfway down the page - parents and carers can refer as can schools and settings.
Feeding
Eg(Training) Ltd is a personalised and responsive service to support individuals with communication or swallowing needs. They have a useful document on Managing Feeding Issues in Children with Down Syndrome which can be found here.
Supporting Feeding & Oral Development in young children with Down Syndrome, Congenital Heart Disease and Feeding difficulties - This comprehensive online booklet has been created as a joint project between various charities.
Communication Resources
Here is Sunshine and Smiles own document of tips to support early speech development.
The bbc also have a resource bank aimed at helping to develop children's communication skills, called Tiny Happy People.
- Makaton is a unique language programme that uses symbols, signs and speech to enable people to communicate. It has been very useful to many people with Down Syndrome. At Sunshine & Smiles we run a Makaton course for babies aged 6-12 months, email or phone us to find out more.
Intensive Interaction - The techniques of Intensive Interaction were originally developed from research into how young infants naturally develop the highly complex and interrelated skills and understandings of human social communication. These skills and understandings develop over time within, and across, a range of responsive and dynamic social interactions, mainly with their primary care-givers. The frequent repetition of successful Intensive Interaction activities provides the basis for the activities to gradually develop in content, duration and complexity. Intensive Interaction is both highly social and mainly responsive in nature, rather than being directive, or goal or target orientated. The approach focuses on using the ‘Fundamentals of Communication’ 1 as a means of establishing and developing improved social communication exchanges.
Private Speech and Language Therapists or companies
- Jo Gallagher - Intospeech - 07938925306
- The Talking House - 01937 843122
- Interactions Speech Therapy - 07943 457 061
- Away with Words - 07812 586 191
- Find Your Voice - 07923 402604