Do you worry that no one outside of your immediate family can understand what your child says? This inspiring DVD, by one of the most respected speech-language pathologists (SLP) in the field of Down syndrome, looks at the importance of speech intelligibility and what makes clear speech challenging for people with Down syndrome. Dr. Libby Kumin explains the components of speech that parents and SLPs should pay attention to, helping them identify what a child or adult needs to work on in speech therapy. What Did You Say? reminds parents that the quality of their child's speech often reflects on how society perceives their child's abilities. Dr. Kumin's positive outlook reassures viewers that improvement is possible, especially when you know what the problems are. The video carefully defines the factors that contribute to understandable speech. These include such issues as anatomical factors, articulation, intonation, the ability to sequence sounds in the proper order, the rate of speech, and social use of language (making eye contact, using facial expressions and gestures to get a message across). The DVD features dozens of boys and girls with Down syndrome, from preschool age to young adulthood, showing various levels of speech intelligibility. They may be working on a problem area and giving parents a chance to hear what different speech problems sound like, or demonstrating understandable speech and showing what can be achieved with effective speech therapy. ! The DVD also features a bonus section with useful tips on writing effective Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals related to speech intelligibility. This comprehensive overview of speech intelligibility problems is useful to parents of young children who speak but are not easily understood. What Did You Say? is also an excellent companion to Kumin's book Early Communication Skills for Children with Down Syndrome. - from Amzon