Library Thursdays: New Zealand Down Syndrome Journal & UK Down's Syndrome Association Journal

A couple of months ago we mentioned other newsletters from around Australia that we have in our library. We also have many from other countries. The latest issues of the New Zealand Down Syndrome Journal (Summer 2009) and the UK's Down's Syndrome Association's Journal (Autumn/Winter 09) just arrived in the library and have many interesting articles. Neither newsletter are available right now online, but both the UK DSA and NZDSA provide some past newsletters and articles on their website.

In the New Zealand summer issue, there are many personal stories from members. These include stories about playing on soccer teams, going on a challenging school camp, sleep problems, leaving home, school, first year and family life.

Included are the following articles:

• Down Syndrome and Dementia by Diana Kerr (reprinted from Voice Winter 09)
• Managing Sleep Problems in Children with Down Syndrome by Christel van Baalen. (Looks at behavioural as well as physical sleep problems)
• Sensory Processing and Disorder in Down Syndrome compiled by the editors. (Lists all the common sensory problem areas and describes the signs of each one, how to imagine what it is like and briefly discusses what to do about it.)

And Down Write Brilliant! A magazine for and by people with Down syndrome Vol 2. There are also reviews of resources, the Proloquo2go used with the iPod touch and Swimwear.

It is quite a nice newsletter with much that would be of interest to New South Wales families.

The articles included in the UK DSA's Journal are:

• Tell it right, start it right (about telling parents the diagnosis of Down syndrome)
• Down's syndrome and autistic spectrum disorder/dual diagnosis
• Ask IPSEA: Transfer from Primary to Secondary school
• Charlie moves to a home of his own (an article about a 25 year old man with Down syndrome and OCD who successfully moves out of his parents' home.)
• Puberty and adolescence
• Through the eyes of Chris Sampson by Charlotte Nutting who worked with a young man with Down syndrome as part of her nursing and social work degree.
• Whatever happened to Elizabeth Joy? by Caroline Philps (an update to the life story depicted in the books: Elizabeth Joy: a mother's story and 'Mummy why have I got Down's syndrome?' (available from our library))
• Otto wants to go to Amsterdam by Lucy Baxter
• Melody by Rosie Cross

As well there are personal stories and local news.

There are many other newsletters from other countries in our library. Many are older but we have the latest newsletters from the US NDSC, Canadian DSRF, Ireland, Argentina (in Spanish) and Germany(Leben mit Down-Syndrom in German).

If you'd like to read any of the articles listed above or borrow anything else, email us or call.