A Voice for Caleb

All children deserve to have their voices heard. But for kids born with Down Syndrome, communication is a big challenge. Without proper support, many will remain non-verbal throughout their lives.

It doesn’t have to be this way. With access to speech and language therapy, young people living with Down syndrome can learn to speak, read, write, and lead full and healthy lives. Unfortunately, this therapy is not publicly funded and private services are too costly for many families. It is UpsideDown’s mission to make this crucial therapy accessible to all Kiwi kids living with Down syndrome, empowering them to participate in school, make friends, and communicate with loved ones.

UpsideDowns currently supports around 300 families throughout Aotearoa, funding regular speech and language therapy that makes a huge difference to the lives of these amazing young people.  

Caleb’s journey

Caleb is a delightful four-year-old born with Down syndrome who is currently working with his UpsideDowns-provided therapist and loving whānau on his preschool communication journey.

While Caleb finds speech incredibly challenging, he is rapidly learning signs, gestures, and vocalisations to communicate. A stop sign at playcentre recently gave him the perfect opportunity to demonstrate these developing skills: He pointed at the word from left to right, and was able to sign the meaning. Caleb was proud to share his achievement and his therapist was very impressed, as it showed reading ability that is unusual for a child of that age.

Hard work with his speech and language therapist is paying off at home too – Caleb’s family are delighted to hear him using the word “up” clearly and in a range of contexts around the house.

Help Make A Difference

UpsideDowns is a small charity that makes a big impact in the lives of New Zealand’s children with Down syndrome. The communication journey is lifelong and UpsideDowns works with children through the most crucial period, from birth until the age of 21. The charity relies on generous contributions from the community in order to continue this important work.

Every bit helps. A one-off donation will go towards funding a child’s individual sessions of speech and language therapy, while setting up a monthly donation will help ensure these kids are supported at every step of their journey.