NeuroNest Collective

Why Early Intervention Matters Early intervention is a structured, multi-disciplinary program designed to support infants and toddlers with Down syndrome during their most formative years—typically from birth to age 3 (up to kindergarten in some regions) . Research shows children who participate in these programs experience significantly higher intellectual and adaptive functioning, and better motor skills, compared both to controls and to typical developmental expectations . --- Core Therapeutic Pillars 1. Physical Therapy (PT) 🧠 Focuses on gross motor milestones like head control, sitting, crawling, and walking. Benefits: Builds muscle tone and coordination, preventing compensatory movement patterns . Enhances overall engagement with the world, boosting cognitive and social development. 2. Occupational Therapy (OT) 🎯 Aims to enhance fine motor skills, self-care, and independence in daily tasks like feeding, dressing, and playing. Includes sensory processing, executive functionin...

By: Neuronest Collective Team Understanding cognitive challenges in children with Down syndrome (DS) is essential for parents, educators, and therapists to foster effective learning environments. Despite characteristic difficulties, many children with DS thrive when supported by research-based strategies. --- 1. Cognitive Strengths & Weaknesses Children with DS display a distinctive cognitive profile—comprised of both notable challenges and relative strengths: Verbal impairments: They often experience significant deficits in expressive language, verbal short-term and working memory, and executive functions like planning and inhibition. This is due to underlying neuropsychological traits . Receptive and nonverbal skills: By contrast, receptive language, visuospatial memory, implicit long-term memory, and social cognition often remain comparatively strong . Memory profile: Verbal short-term memory is especially affected, while visuospatial memory is more preserved. This discrepancy...