Communicating Effectively With Individuals Living With Developmental Disabilities
For communication to be complete, feedback on the message passed across must be shared.
Simplify communication. Speak slowly and use short sentences. Do not give multiple instructions in one sentence. Pause frequently. For example, instead of saying, “I am going to the market to buy mangoes, bananas, oranges, and pears. Will you come with me? You can say, “I am going to the market. I want to buy mangoes. Will you come?
Be concise. Whatever you want to communicate, say it in black and white. Individuals with Developmental Disabilities are not able to decode hidden messages. Do not use figurate language or idioms
Do not shout. First of all, no one likes being shouted at. It is just common courtesy. Shouting at an individual with Developmental Disability will only heighten tension between you. As a caregiver, you will end up being frustrated because the individual will shut down or have a meltdown.
Listen intently. Do not interrupt the conversation. Allow enough time for the person to respond. Take note of the non-verbal cues and the tone of voice. Inform the person when they do or do not understand something.