A fantastic moment

Maddy Hill-Brown

Maddy Hill-Brown is 23 months old and has Down's syndrome.

Maddy’s mother, Rachel Hill-Brown, tells her story:

"We have been using Makaton with Maddy since she was about 6 months old. From about 10 months old she began to use signs such as all gone, drink, eat and hat. Since then she has gone from strength to strength.

"She loves music and signs to songs. She uses some three-word phrases with her signing, for example to tell us to be quiet because her little brother is asleep. It is wonderful to see her tell us what she is thinking about - it's often the cat!

"On a farm visit recently she told us the horses had hair as she stroked their manes... it was a fantastic moment.

"She picks up new signs very quickly and is starting to speak as well. Using Makaton has meant that she has been able to communicate her basic needs for some time now, in many cases for longer than her typically developing peers.

"Her little brother does not have Down's syndrome, but has been exposed to Makaton from birth. We look forward to seeing how he gets on with it too."

May 2010