What you need to know
It is important to have HIGH LEARNING EXPECTATIONS for children who have Kabuki syndrome. Encourage use of the core educational curriculum and modify it in order to meet the individual needs of the child.
Individuals with Kabuki syndrome may have:
- Mild to moderate intellectual disability
- Delays in speech and gross and fine motor skills
- Weakness in visual spatial skills
- Relative strengths in verbal and non-verbal reasoning
If child has hearing loss, they may need a classroom sound-field FM system.
Many of the speech delays are due to low muscle tone, poor coordination, and facial structure differences. Receptive language is often better than expressive language.
- Articulation errors common because of low oral motor tone and poor coordination
- Abnormal quality of the voice
- Abnormal prosody (rhythm, stress and intonation of speech)
- Possible problems with grammar
- May use gestures instead of words
What you can do
- Improve articulation
- Develop language
- Teach learning strategies for non-verbal expression.
- Consider new technology, computers, and possibly sign language depending on fine motor skills. Focus on non-verbal methods of communication.
- Use augmentative communication aids such as picture cards or communication boards early.
- Communication should work with child's desire to socially interact with others in functional and natural settings.
- Make sure children have opportunities for choice and control in their lives (e.g., choose books, colors, food, clothing, play, play partner, etc.).
- Incorporate typically developing peers into their therapy to promote social interaction as well as provide typical models of language.
- Develop language
- Creating an “AAC Team” can be crucial to a child’s success with a device in an environment such as the school system.
- Find AAC system that allows for maximal social reciprocal communication.
- Encourage finger pointing in early child hood to help with device use as they age.
- Anyone interacting with the child should have education and training on how to encourage reciprocal communication with the device.
- Modeling is important for the use of the AAC device and to encourage its use.
- Continue with strategies that improve oral control to maximize their potential as oral speakers.
- Developing oral motor control is crucial if the child is being tube fed. Oral strengthening exercises as well as sensory and tactile stimulation of the oral musculature can be beneficial for acquiring limited verbal output.
- Sensory integration
- Improve sensorimotor skills
- Work on self-regulation, social skills, and self esteem issues associated with sensory integration dysfunction.
- Movement
- Physical, speech, and occupational therapy to enable walking, proper positioning, hand use, communication needs, etc.
- Ensure are areas are safe, free of obstacles.
- Develop gross motor abilities
- Improve strength
- Assess modifications and adaptive equipment for school and home.
- Sensory integration
- Improve sensorimotor skills
- Work on self-regulation, social skills, and self esteem issues associated with sensory integration dysfunction.
- Movement
- Physical, speech, and occupational therapy to enable walking, proper positioning, hand use, communication needs, etc.
- Ensure are areas are safe, free of obstacles.
- Fine motor
- Strength
- Dexterity
- Assistive devices and adaptations
- Sensory integration
- Improve sensorimotor skills
- Work on self-regulation, social skills, and self-esteem issues associated with sensory integration dysfunction.
- Movement
- Physical, speech, and occupational therapy to enable walking, proper positioning, hand use, communication needs, etc.
- Ensure are areas are safe, free of obstacles.