An intervention in the Halliwick Method procedures (swimming) for a group of individuals with Downs syndrome

The purpose of this study was to intervene in the process of the Halliwick Method (swimming), in order to improve the method, or some of its aspects, for a sample of 14 individuals with Downs syndrome (aged six to 21 years), using both an individualized educational setting approach and a differentiation of the elements of the Halliwick Method. The pre-intervention phase included medical examination, IQ, measurement of the behaviour according to the Rutter Scale and a Test of Physical Performance for each subject. Next, the subjects were assigned to seven pairs of case studies, where each individual following a Halliwick Methods swimming programme was paired with an individual following a modified swimming programme based on the same method, on physical health variables, IQ, behaviour and motor abilities. The duration of each swimming programme was 24 weeks for each individual, at a frequency of once per week, for 40 minutes. In the light of the findings of this study, further recommendations for the improvement of Halliwick Method procedures were made, common factors that affected the performance of each individual were identified and their relation with performance was explored.     

Discriminating Quantity: New Points for Teaching Children with Down Syndrome About Number?

ABSTRACT

The focus of much mathematics teaching has been on the acquisition of counting, an area where children with Down syndrome can experience particular difficulties. Research with typically developing children has highlighted how early awareness of quantity provides a strong platform for the acquisition of later mathematical skills and programmes of early intervention have been introduced. Many of these studies are embedded in the work and traditions of developmental and cognitive psychology and can be difficult to access. Consequently, this is an area that has been largely ignored in the curricula of children with Down syndrome. This paper seeks to make this literature more available. It systematically reviews previous research with children with Down Syndrome on these early foundations. It considers seemingly contradictory findings in the light of differences in tasks, their presentation and instructions, and the responses required, in order to draw conclusions and reflect on the implications for teaching and learning. Some of these propositions are in contrast to existing practices and call for further research to test their effectiveness.     

The perpetrators of medical child abuse (Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy) – A systematic review of 796 cases

IntroductionLittle is known about the perpetrators of medical child abuse (MCA) which is often described as “Munchausen’s syndrome by proxy” or “factitious disorder imposed on another”. The demographic and clinical characteristics of these abusers have yet to be described in a sufficiently large sample. We aimed to address this issue through a systematic review of case reports and series in the professional literature.MethodA systematic search for case reports and series published since 1965 was undertaken using MEDLINE, Web of Science and EMBASE. 4100 database records were screened. A supplementary search was then conducted using GoogleScholar and reference lists of eligible studies. Our search yielded a total sample of 796 perpetrators: 309 from case reports and 487 from case series. Information extracted included demographic and clinical characteristics, in addition to methods of abuse and case outcomes.ResultsNearly all abusers were female (97.6%) and the victim’s mother (95.6%). Most were married (75.8%). Mean caretaker age at the child’s presentation was 27.6 years. Perpetrators were frequently reported to be in healthcare-related professions (45.6%), to have had obstetric complications (23.5%), or to have histories of childhood maltreatment (30%). The most common psychiatric diagnoses recorded were factitious disorder imposed on self (30.9%), personality disorder (18.6%), and depression (14.2%).ConclusionsFrom the largest analysis of MCA perpetrators to date, we provide several clinical recommendations. In particular, we urge clinicians to consider mothers with a personal history of childhood maltreatment, obstetric complications, and/or factitious disorder at heightened risk for MCA. Longitudinal studies are required to establish the true prognostic value of these factors as our method may have been vulnerable to publication bias.     

从蓝棣之症候式分析看重写文学史中“人”的维度

在重写文学史中重新确立的新的文学规范,试图把过去作为政治依附品的文学解放出来,让文学成为具有其个性的独立个体。人作为其中重要的一环,人在文学作品评价中的"主体性"是一个十分重要的关键词,而蓝棣之的症候式批评方法,正是通过探析作者的深层精神世界,完成对作品的再评价,是在强调主体性前提下以一种极具个性眼光进行的一种重写文学史的实践。     

肾综合征出血热病后残留损害的研究(Ⅱ)

在1988年5月对HFRS病后1～10年148例调查的基础上,对其中的77例进行了第二次调查.结果:全身乏力占68.83％,头昏痛占48.05％,腰痛占41.55％,背胀占37.66％,心悸气短占20.77％.19例血清和/或尿液β_2-MG异常的患者,此次仍有6例血清β_2-MG大于3000ng/ml,9例尿β_2-MG大于150ng/ml,4例尿Alb,5例尿IgG,3例尿NAG异常.     

The social and educational impacts of the first national Down Syndrome support group in the UAE

Although there is a fairly extensive literature on social and educational inclusion of individuals with Down Syndrome (DS) in many countries, very little is produced on the life and education of such individuals in the United Arab Emirates. There is an apparent lack of societal interest in the quality of lives of people with DS. The condition of DS is nearly a taboo subject in this part of the world. With only a handful of pupils with DS included in regular schools, and with many myths and misconceptions surrounding the syndrome and individuals, particularly children with the syndrome, the first ever national support group for individuals with DS, their families and their carers was formed in late 2004 in the United Arab Emirates. This paper examines and evaluates the social and educational impact of the support group. The study particularly focuses on the role of such group in promoting social inclusion and inclusion of pupils with DS in regular schools in the UAE. Members (mainly parents of individuals with DS) of the newly-established group participated in two interviews six months apart and the researcher observed group meetings, recorded activities and events over the same period. Views of individuals with DS on the effects and the activities of the group were also gathered through semi-structured interviews.
Participants reported significant benefits from participating in the group, particularly in the areas of promoting social acceptance for individuals with DS. The study found that the group also helped in eliminating and correcting some of the myths surrounding the syndrome and played a role in promoting social and educational inclusion of such individuals. The study ends with a discussion of the findings and recommendations for future practice.     

例谈运用行为矫正法改变智力障碍儿童之不良行为

在特殊教育领域,行为矫正法正在越来越广泛地被应用。本文从改变智力障碍儿童的不良行为入手,通过具体的案例分析,对运用行为矫正法提高智力障碍儿童的生活自理能力、社会适应能力进行实践总结和反思,以期对行为矫正法在特殊教育领域的应用有所指导。     

The Concept of Tens and Hundreds in Students with Down Syndrome

ABSTRACT

We present an evaluation of the understanding that adolescents and adults with Down syndrome (DS) have of the decimal number system. The results of two studies are presented. The first was a case study with interviews of three adolescents and three adults with Down syndrome. Our results indicate that their conceptual understanding of the meaning of the tens and hundreds places is not as well developed as their ability to read, write and work with numbers of up to three digits. We also analyse the progress made by a 17- year-old student with Down syndrome after following a learning programme intended to improve her understanding of the tens place. To this end, we designed number tasks using four constructs: counting, grouping, partitioning and ordering. The student’s achievements in the counting construct were greater than in the others, exhibiting an understanding and use of the tens as a unit of counting to solve many of the number tasks proposed. Also evident was a progression in her understanding of the positional value. We observed differences in her success rate and variability in her responses depending on the method used in the tasks to represent the numbers.     

Dialogic voices in talk about drinking and pregnancy

Alcohol use during pregnancy poses a significant risk of fetal alcohol syndrome. This study presents the interpretive findings of the formative research phase of a funded grant to develop a community‐based public health media campaign on the topic of drinking during pregnancy. In the initial wave of data collection, 50 rural women were recruited from four Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) clinics in southeastern Iowa to participate in semi‐structured interviews. In the second wave, 10 additional WIC clients were interviewed for member‐checking purposes. Findings revealed two competing discourses that organized these women's attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors surrounding drinking and pregnancy: the discourse of individualism and the discourse of responsible motherhood. These two discourses offer opposing normative guidelines for talk among their close female relatives and friends. The implications of these findings for designing a community‐based media campaign are discussed.