Brilliant Babies

Please Click at the link below to see a video of Ciarra's shoe tying at 4 years and reading at 5 years old. Ciarra has Down Syndrome. Many typical 4 years old can't tie their shoe string and many can't read yet! Ciarra's family used the latest early brain development methods.

http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?p=14b5cfdd1fdbab8c4861b5&skin_id=0&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url

Last year I saw a memorable five year old girl named Ciarra. One of my office staff called me to witness her performance. Ciarra was reading a book, and she read the following sentences:

I see a yellow duck.

I see a blue bird.

I see a purple cat.

I see a brown dog.

I see Ciarra.

I see Jesse.

I see Sarah.

I see Blue.

I see Callie.

I see a cat.

I congratulated the mother, Michelle, telling her I was impressed with Ciarra’s performance. That same night, I reviewed the mails that Michelle sent me.

Ciarra was full term, 6 pounds 7 ounces, normal delivery. She stayed 9 days at the NICU because of VSD and PDA. Her only problem was the usual ear infections of childhood.

At one year old Ciarra was able to say “eat cookie” occasionally. She fed herself with spoon and fork at 13 months old. At 18 months old, she was using 2-3 word phrases and also identified several colors and shapes.

She took her first step at 22 months old and walked well at 24 months. When she was 27 months old, she was fully potty trained day and night. At 30 months old, she can identify all shapes and most colors.

At 3 ½ years old, Ciarra could read 3 words and by 3 years nine months old, 20 words.

At 4 years old she knew all upper and lower case letters and their corresponding sounds. She could identify numbers, 1 to 20 and count objects up to 19.

Most pediatricians and developmental specialists would not be impressed with Ciarra’s development . However, if they were at my office that day, they would have been amazed and impressed. Ciarra has Down Syndrome!

I asked Michelle how she stimulated Ciarra. This was her answer:

“LOTS of books, busy environment, new and interesting toys, lots of sound and color, new places and people. textures, experiences, (I desensitized her very early to the world, she wasn’t scared of ANYTHING) Literally hundreds of hugs and kisses and I Love Yous.”

Early brain stimulation through playing, reading, counting, and other fun activities could make a big difference in the advanced development of all children whether they have Down Syndrome or normal chromosomes.

The new theories on early brain development should be part of the Routine Check up of all babies. Primary care clinicians should discuss at each Routine visit the importance of reading, counting, sign language, and a minimum 20 minutes floor time with their baby. Parents should not allow watching TV until their child is 6 years old, a difficult prescription but is worth doing.

If Ciarra who has Down Syndrome could read at five years old, what would happen if most parents would stimulate their babies the same way as Michelle did? We will have smarter children and probably reduce school failure and other negative behaviors.

Leo Leonidas, MD, FAAP, Assistant Clinical Professor in Pediatrics, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston; Attending Pediatrician, Eastern Maine Medical Center, Bangor, Maine.

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By doing Baby Signs before 12 months old, you can increase the IQ of your child by 12 points!