Life Skills
It is important to remember that individuals with Down syndrome can start to learn life skills at a much younger age. The concept of independence should be introduced early on so that they are empowered to participate in certain tasks / activities as independently and safely as possible throughout their development.
Life skills can include a variety of tasks that are required to live as independently as possible. Occupational Therapists can help with the development of skills in time management, money math and budgeting, community navigation, cooking, laundry as well as looking for meaningful employment.
Individuals with Down syndrome can learn a variety of life skills with support from an occupational therapist. Through the use of learning strategies such as visual sequencing, modeling and consistent hands-on practice, teens and adults with Down syndrome can become more independent and functional in a variety of community and home settings.