Adapted communication sheet for Down syndrome:
what is it for and how to use it?
Complete presentation of the DYNSEO tool, detailed structure, and concrete usage modes to adapt communication to Down syndrome in every daily context
Communication with a person with Down syndrome is not improvised — but it also does not require in-depth specialized training. It requires knowing a few key principles and applying them systematically in all contexts. The DYNSEO adapted communication sheet for Down syndrome is precisely the tool that translates these principles into concrete and immediately applicable recommendations — for families, teachers, and all adults in the environment. This complete guide presents the tool and how to make the most of it.
1. Communication in Down syndrome: specificities to know
🗣️ Expressive language
- Delayed language acquisition
- Frequent articulation difficulties
- Variable reduced intelligibility
- Vocabulary often underestimated
- Strong non-verbal expressive richness
👂 Comprehension
- Comprehension often superior to expression
- Slower auditory processing
- Long instructions not retained
- Dominant literal meaning
- Visual channel enhances understanding
⏱️ Processing time
- Extended response time (10-20 s normal)
- Do not fill silences
- Frequent normal repetition
- Do not confuse silence = misunderstanding
- Rapid communicative fatigue
🎭 Social communication
- Strong desire for social connection
- Often developed sense of humor
- Strong social conformity (compliance)
- Risk of answering "yes" to please
- Sensitivity to the emotional states of adults
2. The DYNSEO adapted communication sheet for Down syndrome: detailed content
📋 At a glance
Format: Downloadable PDF · Cost: Free · Structure: Principles of adapted communication + language adaptations + strategies by type of interaction + AAC levels · Users: Speech therapists, families, teachers, AVS/AESH, IME/SESSAD teams, caregivers
2.1 The sections of the sheet
Fundamental principles
Communication rules immediately applicable by any non-specialized adult
Language adaptation
How to formulate sentences, instructions, and questions to maximize understanding
Strategies by context
Specific adaptations for meals, school activities, care, outings...
Augmented communication
When and how to integrate pictograms, gestures, and visual supports
Value without condescension
How to communicate with respect and dignity at any age
2.2 The levels of augmented communication
Pointing
The simplest — point to the object, image, desired choice
Personal photos
Real photos of objects, places, and people from daily life
Pictograms
PECS, Arasaac, or other systems — more abstract but more universal
Adapted signs
Makaton or simplified LSF — useful when speech is not very intelligible
Adapted communication sheet for Down syndrome — Free DYNSEO
Reference support for adapting communication to Down syndrome in all contexts. For families, teachers, and professional teams. No registration required.
Download for free →3. The key principles of the sheet in practice
Speak directly to the person, not to the adults around them
Even when the person with Down syndrome does not respond verbally, address them directly — not their companions in their presence. This fundamental principle of dignity is emphasized in the sheet.
Short sentences, one piece of information at a time
The reduced working memory in Down syndrome means that a sentence with multiple pieces of information is partially processed. The sheet provides concrete examples of reformulation: "Take your backpack. Then put on your shoes." instead of "Take your backpack and put on your shoes before leaving."
Wait for the response without filling the silence
The extended processing time in Down syndrome means that responses come after 10 to 20 seconds. Waiting without repeating the question or suggesting the answer is one of the most difficult — and most important — adaptations.
Check understanding without trapped closed questions
The strong social conformity of people with Down syndrome leads them to answer "yes" to any closed question to please. To check understanding, ask them to show, repeat in action, or choose from visible options.
Field tip: Laminate the sheet and slip it into the liaison notebook that circulates between home and school. Every caregiver who takes care of your child for the first time has immediate access to the essential principles.
“I give the DYNSEO adapted communication sheet for Down syndrome to every new professional who enters my son's life — doctor, dentist, new teacher, leisure center leader. It avoids having to explain everything again and ensures that my son is treated with the respect and adaptations he deserves.”
— Mother of a 22-year-old man with Down syndrome4. The DYNSEO Down syndrome ecosystem
🧰 Complementary DYNSEO tools — Down syndrome
Down syndrome educational adaptation guide — Free complementary tool
To complement the communication sheet with a broader educational framework, the Down syndrome educational adaptation guide covers all adapted school and daily learning for Down syndrome.
Access the guide →MY DICTIONARY Application
MY DICTIONARY is the naturally complementary digital AAC solution to the sheet — for individuals with limited oral language.
COCO Application
COCO enhances vocabulary and cognitive skills related to communication in 5-10 year olds with Down syndrome.
CLINT Application
CLINT for adolescents and adults with Down syndrome — cognitive stimulation adaptable to the level of competence.
Adapting communication: a gesture of respect that opens possibilities
The DYNSEO adapted communication sheet for Down syndrome is a universal reference document for all adults in the environment of a person with Down syndrome. Simple, free, immediately applicable — so that every exchange is true communication.
Download for free →Educational adaptation guide
FAQ — Adapted communication sheet Down syndrome
Q1 Is the adapted communication sheet different for children and adults with Down syndrome?
The fundamental principles apply to all ages, but the concrete examples and contexts differ. For children: school and family contexts, age-appropriate vocabulary, predominant visual supports. For adolescents: socialization and professional integration contexts, respect for privacy and enhanced autonomy. For adults: professional contexts, independent apartment living, emotional and social life — communication adaptations must support the desired level of autonomy, not hinder it.
Q2 When to introduce AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) in addition to the sheet?
AAC is indicated as soon as oral verbal communication is not sufficient to express essential needs, or when intelligibility is insufficient to be understood outside the close circle. It is not a substitute for speech — it complements it and, in many cases, stimulates it. The DYNSEO adapted communication sheet includes progressive AAC levels (pointing, photos, pictograms, MON DICO application) to guide families and professionals in this process.
Q3 How to manage excessive compliance (answering "yes" to everything) in communication?
Compliance is common in Down syndrome — the person answers "yes" to please the adult, even if they have not understood or do not agree. To address this: prefer open questions ("What do you want?" rather than "Do you want this?"); offer concrete choices with visual supports ("Red or blue?" while showing both); create a communication environment where saying "no" or "I don't know" is valued; and interpret non-verbal behaviors (turning away, facial expression) as valid responses.
Q4 Is the communication sheet compatible with all existing AAC systems?
Yes — the sheet is agnostic to the AAC system used (PECS, Makaton, Proloquo2Go, MON DICO...). It describes the principles of adapting oral communication, which apply regardless of the AAC in place. AAC complements the adapted oral communication — it does not replace it. The speech therapist is the reference professional for choosing the most suitable AAC system for each profile.
Q5 Can the sheet be used in healthcare facilities (hospital, doctor)?
Yes — and it is a particularly valuable use. Medical care is among the most stressful contexts for individuals with Down syndrome, and healthcare professionals rarely receive training in adapted communication. Hand the sheet to the healthcare staff upon arrival at each appointment or hospitalization. For important interventions, you can prepare with your child (or the adult with Down syndrome) a "communication passport" including the sheet, essential medical information, and effective strategies in case of distress.
Did this content help you? Support DYNSEO 💙
We are a small team of 14 people based in Paris. For 13 years, we have been creating free content to help families, speech therapists, care homes and healthcare professionals.
Your feedback is the only way we know if our work is useful. A Google review helps us reach other families, caregivers and therapists who need it.
One action, 30 seconds: leave us a Google review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. It costs nothing, and it changes everything for us.
