Strategies for Speech Therapy for Speech-Language Pathology in People with Down's Syndrome

Abstract

This study aimed to characterize and discuss the literacy strategies used in speech therapy intervention in subjects with Down syndrome. For that, the medical records of 29 people, of both sexes, attended in a university extension project, between the ages of two and thirty-one, were analyzed. The analysis of the data observed the literacy practices used with the individuals, followed by the categorization into two groups according to the objectives of the intervention. The first group focused on the development of strategies focused on oral language, such as reading children's books; Psychomotricity activities associated with oral language; reading stories and recounting; use of children's music, exploring the content of it. The aim of the second group was to develop written language, making the individual understand and use writing in its functionality, such as: reading stories that are of interest to the subject, producing various textual genres, games that explore phonological awareness, use of digital genres. It was observed that the strategies of literacy found could contribute to the linguistic, educational and social development of the person with Down syndrome, they seek to involve language in social practices. The strategies are beneficial for speech therapy work, as well as for other professionals who deal with the studied population