People who have Down syndrome tend to be literal thinkers.
“Not fingers, Mom, kicken.”
“Fingers?”
Charley slumped down in his seat, lowered his head a notch and said, “Yeah.”
“Son, do you think we’re feeding you fingers?”
He nodded his head. “Duh.”
Did I hear him right? “Duh”? (When did he learn that word?)
Such is the literal thinking of Down syndrome. And let’s face it, when one of us has DS, we all have DS…
“Son,” I said, “Chicken fingers are really chicken. They just call them fingers. Just like that milkshake and hamburger come from a cow.”
Charley dropped the burger. Pp. 82-83
Have you ever had this problem? Does your child understand if you say “it’s a figure of speech?” Do you find yourself interpreting for your child?
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