In some respect Let’s Open the World Together project is a logical continuation of Early Intervention project. But besides medical, social and psychological support to families Let’s Open the World Together implies child socialization, namely favourable conditions for communication of children taking part in the project.
It must be said that the team of the Rehabilitation Centre for Disabled Children and Teenagers Talisman immediately showed their interest in this new service for children with special needs.
Now the specialists of Talisman are working with 5 children with Down's syndrome and their parents. The children are from 1,5 to 3 years old. It is well known that children with special needs very often suffer from lack of communication. At the same time it is an active and correctly organized process of communication that is the essential condition for successful child development.
Working with this group the specialists have set themselves the following tasks:
- to give children with Down's syndrome cognitive and motor skills,
- to introduce the most efficient techniques of teaching children with Down's syndrome to their parents,
- to help the parents find the right way of interaction with their children taking into account their special needs and the level of development.
That is what the parents themselves say:
Slava’s mother, 1 year and 4 months old:
“I wish the child would learn to go down the floor and walk. Meanwhile, it will be fine if he learns to play pat-a-cake and magpie, to wave goodbye.”
Misha’s mother, 2 years old
“I want the child to learn to socialize with both children and adults to feel comfortable in the world. I also want him to learn to walk, be steady on his legs; develop his mental capacity and communication skills.”
As it is clear from the parents’ wishes, the problems we want to help parents and children solve through implementing this project into state social support are topical. We sincerely hope the achieved results will encourage parents, specialists and us for further work in the mentioned above directions.
The project is being implemented in the framework of We Open the World Together Program carried out by CAF Russia.
