THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION AS A KEY AREA IN WORKING WITH A STUDENT WITH DOWN SYNDROME (DS) IN THE CONTEXT OF AN INDIVIDUAL CASE STUDY

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Aim: analysis of the functioning of an 18-year-old female student with Down syndrome. The analysis is set in the context of the diagnosis and therapeutic-stimulating activities undertaken by the family and the school. Methods: The research used a qualitative strategy. A case study was used. Interview and document analysis techniques were used. The research was undertaken in the spirit of positive psychology, requiring the identification of optimal functioning of people with disabilities and the factors that determine this. Results: The analysis presented in the text shows that the diagnostic processes and processes built on their basis, educational and therapeutic activities determine the possibilities of use potential of an individual with DS. Long-term and systematic work of teachers and specialists, cooperation with the mother does not bring fully satisfactory results. Conclusion: An extra chromosome is a significant obstacle to the development of people with DS on many levels. The interactions of the family environment and school promote more active participation of the individual in society. Diagnostic procedures are a key condition for appropriate therapeutic intervention. Recognizing the profile of each person's characteristics is the discovery of his individual potential. Rehabilitation interventions, planned on the basis of diagnosis and systematically implemented by parents and teachers, can be a real harbinger of improvement in the quality of life of a student with DS. Originality: A holistic case analysis enables insight and understanding of an important educational problem - the determinants and effectiveness of the diagnosis and rehabilitation of a student with DS. As the number of students with learning and behavioral difficulties increases, it seems that the need to promote knowledge on how to undertake therapeutic interventions is still current. Keywords: Down syndrome, student, diagnosis, rehabilitation, therapy, support, school, family.