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The Selective Use of TV and Videos for Advancing the Development of Special Needs, Typical and Accelerated Preschool Children

Robert J. Doman Jr. TV/Videos and The Preschool Child For over twenty-five years, the National Association for Child Development (NACD) has had the opportunity to serve a large, international caseload of children covering the entire functional spectrum. Our work with innovating ways to accelerate the development of children with profound developmental issues (such as brain…

The Autistic Child

by Robert J. Doman Jr. Children labeled as “autistic” have been enigmas since they were first identified. Fortunately, some questions surrounding these children are being answered. Many “autistic” children (children with sensory dysfunction) are now being helped, and some are achieving “normal” function. As a result of NACD’s work with “autistic” children, we have also…

Down Syndrome

by Robert J. Doman Jr. Down Syndrome is the most common and best known of the chromosomal anomalies. The condition was first described by Langdon Down in 1866. Previously, the children with this anomaly were labeled as Mongoloids. The term was applied to these children because of the somewhat oriental look produced by the epicanthal…

The Autism Spectrum

by Robert J. Doman Jr. Let me begin with a brief history of our experience with children within the autism spectrum over the past several decades, for doing so will give you a better understanding of the significant “pieces of the puzzle” we are working with in regard to what we know thus far about…

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Language Acquisition in Children with Down Syndrome: The significance of auditory function and the developmental costs of teaching signing or “Total Communication”

by Robert J. Doman Jr.   In order to determine appropriate treatment approaches for children with Down Syndrome (DS), one must first, look at “normal” development, and then explore how and why the DS population differs. When considering language acquisition we encounter historic problems that are not dissimilar from those of any of our special…

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Down Syndrome Perspectives: A Message to Parents of Down Syndrome Children

by Robert J. Doman, Jr. In 1972 I sent my first Down Syndrome child off to her first day of school, in regular class, in a “normal” public school with “normal” expectations, and no special services. Linda was entering first grade, having spent two years with me at the George Crother’s Memorial School. Linda entered…