Teaching Children with Down Syndrome about Their Bodies, Boundaries, and Sexuality

Drawing on her unique background as both a sexual educator and mother of a child with Down syndrome, author Terri Couwenhoven blends factual information and practical ideas for teaching children with Down syndrome about their bodies, puberty, and sexuality. This book gives parents the confidence to speak comfortably about these sometimes difficult subjects. It also explains why it's so important to begin early in the life of a child to deal with issues such as hygiene, emotional and physical boundaries, privacy, and what makes for healthy relationships. In a friendly conversational style, the author covers relevant issues and concerns for children of all ages, such as: ? Labeling & explaining private body parts ? Identifying & expressing emotions ? Respecting personal space ? Teaching self-care & hygiene ? Understanding norms of privacy ? Understanding gender identity ? Showing appropriate levels of affection She also covers later issues that affect teenagers and young adults, including: ? Anticipating and understanding puberty ? Dealing with periods, bras for girls ? Experiencing erections, wet dreams for boys ? Relating to the opposite sex ? Sharing parental values about sexuality ? Explaining sexual relationships ? Preventing sexual abuse ? Understanding how Down syndrome affects puberty & fertility ratesCouwenhoven, Terri is the author of 'Teaching Children with Down Syndrome about Their Bodies, Boundaries, and Sexuality', published 2007 under ISBN 9781890627331 and ISBN 189062733X.