Celebrating World Down Syndrome Day

From left to right: Dad (Scott), Jackson, Mum (Emma) and Mason.

Written by: Emma Vaughan (Speech & Language Therapist at our St Albans Clinic) with a contribution from Tessa Cliff-Reid (Senior Speech & Language Therapist at our Milton Keynes Clinic).

Today, 21st March, is an important day for Emma and Tessa, two dedicated members of our therapy team here at Magic Words. This awareness day (and week) is important to so many others all around the world, as well. Emma and Tessa wanted to take this opportunity to share their stories, tell you a bit more about World Down Syndrome Day and why it’s so important to celebrate and raise awareness of the condition in your local communities.

People with Down Syndrome, also known as Trisomy 21, have three copies of chromosome 21 instead of the usual two. The theme for World Down Syndrome Day 2025 is ‘Improve Our Support Systems’ as it is absolutely crucial that people with Down Syndrome get access to the right support when they need it, further enabling them to thrive in life - in which ever way they choose.

Emma graduating from her Speech & Language Therapy University programme in London.

Emma and Jackson’s Story

As a Speech and Language Therapist, a fundamental part of my role is advocating for the children and young people in my caseload while doing my best to help their families / carers to access any additional support they may need.

People with Down Syndrome have different needs for support, just as we all have different needs. When we act as advocates and do everything in our power to ensure people with Down Syndrome can access the level support they need - they are far more likely to reach their full developmental potential.

As they continue to blossom and flourish, that early access to support will set them up to succeed - to have a much brighter future!

How early intervention encouraged my decision to become a Speech & Language Therapist

There was never a point after receiving my second son, Jackson’s Down Syndrome diagnosis during pregnancy that I believed it would lead to a totally new career for me. However, after having witnessed first-hand the positive impact on family life that Speech & Language Therapy can have, I knew it was a career path that I would love to explore. I attended weekly therapy sessions with Jackson for over three years thanks to local charities, and looked forward to them just as much, if not more, than he did. It was astounding to me how quickly he learned to communicate once supported before his verbal language developed.

As a family, we learned Makaton to support communication, to celebrate tiny milestones met along the way and how to navigate the education system with a child with Special Education Needs (SEN). This further persuaded me to share my acquired knowledge to support other families in similar situations. I absolutely loved my university days, despite the late nights writing assignments, and could not wait to start working in the field. I brought some of the transferable skills I had developed from my years as an accountant (15 years!) such as flexibility, analysing data and prioritisation.

“Jackson surprises us each morning with a different fancy dress outfit he has created and often puts on a performance too - a born entertainer for sure!”

Jackson is 7 years old (8 on Monday!) and attends a mainstream primary school where he is currently in Year 3. Jackson is supported by a full time 1:1 Learning Support Assistant (LSA) and has a differentiated curriculum to ensure he can access the learning as well as regular speech and language therapy to continue to develop his communication skills. Jackson loves chocolate, cake, horse riding, playing football and cars with his big brother, Mason, and dressing up. Jackson surprises us each morning with a different fancy dress outfit he has created and often puts on a performance too - a born entertainer for sure! There is never a day where Jackson does not make us laugh, he lights up the room wherever he goes. I hope that he continues to shine in life, whichever direction he chooses to go.

Joining Magic Words

My second year placement whilst at University was with Magic Words with the lovely Hannah as my Practice Educator. I absolutely loved being in the same school every week, building a rapport with the children, including their interests in our sessions and seeing them so excited for sessions each week. I also loved the supportive environment that Magic Words encourages, with all members of the team sharing their knowledge and ideas to best support our clients. I really enjoy continuous learning, and you are definitely well supported to do this at Magic Words - especially when it comes to receiving excellent support as an NQP straight out of University.

I could not be happier in this new career as a Speech & Language Therapist, and no two days are ever the same. You never know what a child is going to say or do! I feel very honoured to be able to celebrate with families as children meet milestones, and sharing my own experiences as Jackson’s Mum has been a huge highlight for me. I am also lucky enough to always be learning about the best ways I can continue to support Jackson, and his amazing friends with Down Syndrome, too!

Leo out and about in Trafalgar Square, London.

Tessa and Leo’s Story

My son Leo is 16 years old and was born whilst we were living abroad in Bangkok. Navigating and attempting to access the appropriate support for him was difficult to say the least. While we loved and cherished our time in Thailand, we eventually made the decision to return to the UK when Leo was 3 years old.

Throughout the years, we have had to fight consistently for Leo to have access the level of support that he requires (and deserves) to ensure that he is able to reach his true potential and doesn’t ever need to feel othered or frustrated. He attended mainstream schools until Year 10, when he eventually transitioned to a specialist provision - which provides him with a brilliant life skills-based curriculum that will enable him to live as independently as possible in the future.

Leo loves pizza, music and singing, taking the dog on walks, shopping for clothes, hanging out with his friends, swimming and wrestling. He finds his sisters annoying and struggles to get out of bed in the morning - a pretty typical teenager!

From left to right: Dad (Simon), Leo and Mum (Tessa) at the Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour!

The best ways to get involved in your local community
Every year, communities come together to celebrate World Down Syndrome Day by wearing their brightest, boldest, and funkiest / most colourful (or even mismatched) socks to symbolise being unique (and due to chromosomes somewhat resembling socks). Join us, and so many people all around the world by picking out your best socks to celebrate this important occasion and if anyone asks why you’re rocking your socks - you can take the opportunity to spread awareness at the same time!

Looking for local Speech and Language Therapy support? We have 7 clinic locations across the UK and we also offer speech and language therapy services to 100+ schools across the South East of England, the Midlands and London - helping thousands of children and young people to shine by removing barriers to their communication development and learning. Learn more about our services here.

The Value of Speech & Language Therapy In The Early Years: A Look Into Our Schools Service

“The children receiving speech and language therapy from Magic Words are all making great progress and achieving their outcomes. We can see improved self-confidence and even some of our most complex children are visibly communicating more effectively.”

“Having a speech and language therapist available one day a week in a primary school is invaluable.“

Sarah Pearce, SENCO, Heronsgate School

Written by: Magic Words Staff - Andrew Fraser (Marketing Exec), Meghan van der Walt (Specialist Speech & Language Therapist)

At a time when funding is being cut and schools are fighting to find local speech and language support for SEN pupils, more than ever before, we see the value and importance of the work that we do as speech and language therapists. Speech and Language UK is an organisation focused on raising money, developing tools and resources for schools and nurseries, giving advice and guidance to families as well as putting pressure on politicians to enact change. According to their latest study and 5-year strategy, the number of children with speech and language difficulties/differences in the UK has increased to a staggering 1.9 million children - the highest number they have ever recorded.

Here at Magic Words Therapy, we understand the hugely positive impact that speech and language therapy can have on a child’s development. The earlier they can be assessed and start regular therapy sessions focusing on their unique needs, the better the outlook for that child’s future wellbeing and happiness.

In our case, we offer in-person therapy at 7 clinic locations, as well as effective speech and language therapy services to 100+ schools across the South East of England, the Midlands and London - helping thousands of children and young people to shine by removing barriers to their communication development and learning. We carefully structure our sessions to ensure children and young people are stretched enough to learn and develop their speech, language and communication skills - while maintaining the fun and enjoyment that keeps them motivated. Our therapy spaces are laid out in such a way that learning, development and fun always take priority.

One of our specialist Speech and Language Therapists, Meghan van der Walt, spends part of her week working at Heronsgate School in the heart of Walnut Tree, Milton Keynes. Meghan has built a strong rapport, not only with the pupils, but with the headteacher, SENCO, support staff and parents of the children she supports.

Sarah Pearce - SENCO at Heronsgate School has been a huge advocate for the services that Magic Words provides to the pupils at her school. “The children receiving speech and language therapy from Magic Words are all making great progress and achieving their outcomes. We can see improved self-confidence and even some of our most complex children are visibly communicating more effectively.”

We are passionate about our schools service because, time and time again, we see how effective speech and language therapy provision can be when it is prioritised and schools have consistent specialist input from a designated therapist or therapy team.

“Having a speech and language therapist available one day a week in a primary school is invaluable” said Sarah. We can also ensure that our children with EHCPs have a speech and language report for their annual reviews and appropriate outcomes set for their next steps – something that just is not possible with the NHS backlogs.”

On top of supporting pupils individual needs, our therapists aim to also offer schools guidance at a universal, whole school level. Meghan also had the opportunity to speak to Rebecca Styles - Speech, Language & Communication HLTA (Higher Level Teaching Assistant) at Heronsgate School about her experience with our schools service. “Meghan joined us well into the school year, after the long absence of a therapist, and she has fit in like a member of our staff. She is very knowledgeable and obviously cares deeply about the children she works with. In turn I have seen that they are very comfortable with her and have witnessed their confidence and engagement rise, particularly with a non-verbal child, who now does not avoid eye contact with me.”

Our schools service is designed to be flexible to accommodate different budgets and the specific needs of each school and its pupils. When Meghan asked Julie Dankwa - Learning Support Assistant running a SEN classroom at Heronsgate about her experience working closely alongside a Speech and Language Therapist from Magic Words, she had this to say:

“It is so important to have Magic Words Therapy in school because it taps into areas of a child's speech, language and communication development in ways that someone less specialised may not be able to. Meghan is very approachable, and the children warmed to her quite quickly. She is always happy to answer any questions and suggests strategies to help support the children I work with.”

Our therapists are dedicated to offering valuable guidance and support to SENCOs and headteachers at a universal, whole school level. They aim to help embed strategies and techniques that maximise each pupil’s communication potential. Our team of therapists can see pupils individually, in groups or a combination of both and we are proud to offer in-class therapy and joint teaching for pupils experiencing a broad range of speech, language and communication difficulties and differences, including but not limited to: Autism, Situational Mutism, Stammering, DLD, d\Deafness, Speech Sound Difficulties, Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Verbal Dyspraxia.

If you or someone you know would be interested to learn more about our schools service here at Magic Words Therapy, head over to our contact page to get in touch – we look forward to hearing from you!

Pride is both a celebration of community and an ongoing protest

‘At its core, Pride is (and always has been) a protest. Pride is also a time of immense joy and celebration. We celebrate the courage of those who paved the way for us. We celebrate the fact that we can hold hands with our partners without fearing for our lives. We celebrate the fact that young people are finally seeing themselves represented positively in media. We celebrate the simple joy of being alive, feeling love, and having a place in a community that will accept you no matter what.’

By Caleb Jackson (SaLT), Hannah Anthony (SaLT), and Andrew (Andy) Fraser (Marketing Executive).

As June comes to a close, Pride Month on a global scale will eventually start to fade to the back of mind for many. That being said, it’s important (now more than ever before) to note that Pride is more than just a month… it’s a movement that is relevant and the community is actively celebrating (and protesting) all year round.

There are Pride events taking place in cities and towns throughout the Summer all across the UK, and it must not be forgotten that the act of raising awareness and continuing allyship goes far beyond just the month of June. Especially since this year, in record numbers, we are seeing a frightening uptick in violence, discrimination, and new policies targeting the safety and wellbeing of the LGBTQIA+ community at large.

To unpack this, a few members of our team wanted to share a bit about what Pride means to them and why support for the community doesn’t stop at the end of June.

Caleb Jackson (he/they), one of our Birmingham-based SaLTs is passionate about Queer history and politics and wanted to emphasise the importance and history that protest plays in the freedoms we now have in modern times as members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

“It would be wrong to say that Pride is not a celebration of love, identity, and progress. However, I am keenly aware that at its heart, it is a protest. In a perfect storm, Pride came to be through the influence of a celebrity death, a number of well-aimed bricks, and a few very angry lesbians. “

Caleb wrote a beautifully poignant and powerful retelling of the history of Pride and how it all started as a protest. If you’ve got a few minutes, Caleb invites you to take a stroll down the yellow brick road of history.

Hannah Anthony (she/her), one of our SaLTs based in Milton Keynes, wanted to highlight the importance of ensuring that we have a variety of safe, inclusive spaces that give everyone a chance to participate in Pride events that match their comfort levels.

”For many, having a diverse range of events to choose from is important - allowing members of the community to take part in activities that they feel comfortable and safe taking part in. Some love to dance the night away at a club, while others look for quieter, more sensory-friendly spaces to mingle and meet others. For example, my wife and I love going to the theatre (and do so often), certain shows attract more members of the Queer community than others. ‘Everybody’s Talking About Jamie’, for example, is a theatre show that features central characters that are proudly Queer. However, others aren’t as inclusive, and whilst we still feel happy to go to these shows, we feel less safe showing affection towards one another in these spaces.”

“In our case, my wife is slightly more introverted and doesn’t gravitate to the larger Pride events. I myself have marched in Pride parades, representing both the RCSLT and England Netball, but that isn’t something my wife would feel comfortable taking part in. We both gravitate to the types of events we know we will enjoy, in spaces where we know we will be safe. While we are both very lucky to feel supported in our jobs and feel safe to be ourselves, it would be great to one day be able to feel comfortable holding hands as we walk down the street - without having to think twice.

Andrew Fraser (he/him), our Marketing Executive here at Magic Words, grew up in a small-town on the East Coast of Canada and recently moved over to the UK to be with his British partner. He is a proud member of the Queer community, and feels that with some of the suggested changes in policy recently, that the safety of the LGBTQIA+ community at large is seriously at risk.

”Even though I’m still new to the country, I see a lot of people talking about the upcoming election and how scared they are to have their rights and everything they have fought for ripped away from them. We have been fighting for years just for the basic right to be unapologetically ourselves, to be free to exist and to love who we choose to love. We have not come this far, only to be forced to step back and to compromise on all of the things that make us proud to be who we are.”

“As Caleb highlighted, the importance of seeing Pride as more than just a party, and more of a protest, is the way we must move forward. As much as we would love to only focus on celebrating the magical things that make our community special, conservative, close-minded viewpoints are on the rise, and people are seemingly unafraid to speak out (in very hateful ways) against the community as a whole, or even worse, they say they are prepared to take action/commit acts of violence against those of us who are just trying to exist and live our day to day lives. That’s why it’s important to remind ourselves, and the people around us, that now’s not the time to back down and hide - if someone you love, someone close to you is a member of the Queer community, please let them know that you care. Let them know you are an ally, that you will be there in times of need. That means so much more than you’ll ever know”.

Caleb closes out this important conversation on Pride with an important reminder:

“Yes, Pride is still a protest. Pride is a time for me to protest the fact that my transgender community are unable to go to the bathroom safely. Pride is a time for me to protest my gay brothers and sisters being executed for daring to show their love. Pride is a time for me protest the fact that 31% percent of my Queer community have considered taking their own life, and 41% of nonbinary people have harmed themselves in the last year alone. Pride is a time for me to protest the poor social and medical care that leads 61% of the LGBTQ+ community to experience clinical depression in their lifetimes. Pride is a time for me to protest the fact that transgender people are being murdered at record levels -- more than 1 person each day.”

“However, Pride is also a time of immense joy and celebration. We celebrate the courage of those who paved the way for us. We celebrate the fact that I can hold hands with my partner without fearing for my life. We celebrate the fact that young people are finally seeing themselves represented positively in media. We celebrate the simple joy of being alive, feeling love, and having a place in a community that will accept you no matter what. But this yellow brick road to celebration is blood-soaked, and Pride is a time for us to remember that as well. Pride is a time for us to protest inaction, and vow to do better.”

Babbling: A Sign of Communication in the Early Years

‘The nature and amount of babbling and vocal play a baby produces can be an indicator of the later speech, language and communication needs of a child and therefore it plays a vital role in childhood. So it’s definitely something to pay close attention to and encourage!’

By Kate Lewis, Specialist Speech and Language Therapist & Regional Service Lead

From birth, your baby will be using their ‘voice’ in a range of natural sounds, including the very familiar sound of crying. This is your baby’s way of letting you know they want something – they’re communicating with you already!

After this stage, babies typically move on to cooing, then onto a variety of squeals, growls, laughter and generally exploring what their voice can do. When a baby plays with their voice, this is them exploring how their lips and tongue can move around to make different sounds.

At first, there won’t be any clear single words which we could interpret, however all these beautiful gargles and squeals are supporting a child to develop their vocal play, which typically then goes on to develop into strings of babble and then later into words!

Responding to your young baby not only helps them to hear language, developing their understanding or words, but also supports them to learn about the back and forth of conversations. If your baby is making lots of sounds with their voice, it’s a great idea to respond to them in a similar way, e.g. with similar vocal noises. This may feel uncomfortable at first, but your baby is likely to enjoy this back and forth and be motivated to continue to respond. This way, you’re acknowledging your child’s attempts at their exploration and play with their voice, as well as supporting them to develop the understanding of how conversation works in the world.

If you have a young infant, these are some tips and tricks you can use to support their language development:

• Copy and respond to noises that your child makes

• Read books to your child, allowing them to link the spoken words you use to the pictures and start to learn what words mean

• Sing nursery rhymes with your child; children pick up on the pattern of your voice

• As your child gets older, model simple language onto the vocalisations they make, for example, if they babble ‘ca-ca-ca’ while pointing to the toy car, you could say ‘the car!’

The nature and amount of babbling and vocal play a baby produces can be an indicator of the later speech, language and communication needs of a child and therefore it plays a vital role in childhood. So it’s definitely something to pay close attention to and encourage!

If you have any concerns or questions regarding your child’s language development, feel free to get in touch with us and we can see if an assessment into your child’s communication skills would be appropriate.