The book summarizes the current state of knowledge concerning language development in children with Down Syndrome (DS). The first chapter reviews language development in normal children, noting such stages as gestures, first sounds, development of understanding, first spoken words, and the two-word stage. The next chapter examines language skills in DS children and stresses individual differences within a wide range of development. A table of norms for language development in DS children is provided. Chapter 3 considers the particular difficulties which delay language development in DS children. It stresses the importance of ensuring that the child has opportunities to talk and encouraging and rewarding his efforts. Discussed in Chapter 4 is the use of signing in conjunction with speech to encourage language development in very young children. Chapter 5 looks at reading in DS children, with several case histories and a recommended structured reading program going from matching, selecting, and naming pictures to the same sequence for flash cards. The final chapter describes a variety of activities to encourage language development. Toys, games, and instructional materials are listed. Contains 115 references. (DB)