DS-ASD~Fall Update 2019
Happy first day of fall 🙂! Here is an update on my son, Nick who is 25 years old and has a dual diagnosis of Down syndrome and autism (DS-ASD). My son attends an adult developmental training day program which he enjoys very much. The program has a nice variety of learning and enrichment activities incorporated throughout the day. Outside this program, Nick enjoys spending time with his personal support respite workers in the community going out to eat, movies, parks and other activities.
Some of the highlights of Nick’s day program are community trips, including shopping, visits to parks and local amusements along with going out to eat. In house, the curriculum includes learning centers, communication, functional living skills, recreation, music, movies, gardening, crafts, cooking, Friday fun days and other themes round out this program each week.
Here are a few pictures of Nick at his adult developmental training program:
On 9/11 the clients at his program made thank you cards for local first responders. Here’s Nick giving cards to a police officer:
Nick’s verbal skills are limited, due to having the additional diagnosis of autism and verbal apraxia of speech along with Down syndrome. He uses an Augmentative and Alternative (AAC) device and picture exchange system (PECS) to communicate his needs. There are two ways that I know that he likes going to his day program. Over the weekend, he packed his lunch and put it in his backpack, which he set by the front door. He also took the school icon out of his PECS book and puts it on a Velcro task strip and handed it to me. It’s nice to see how much he wants to go to this program. The routine and structure helps individuals with Down syndrome, autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities navigate their days successfully.
That’s what is in my noggin this week.
~Teresa 🙂
Follow Nick and see more pictures of him in action, along with other stories:
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Twitter @tjunnerstall
Down Syndrome with a Slice of Autism 