Signing With Your BabyWritten by Monica Beyer
A conversation between my 18-month-old son and I is one that a passerby isn't likely to forget. There have been countless meals at restaurants where my family has been subject of curious glances, stares and even questions from perfect strangers. And best of all, he can tell my husband and me that he needs a drink of milk, is scared of thunder or wants down from his high chair, all without making a sound. This seeming miracle of communication was made possible by American Sign Language, primary means of communication used for hearing impaired individuals. With help of Dr. Joseph Garcia's book and video Sign With Your Baby, I was able to integrate sign language into my son's life and use it as a means of communication, starting when he was 11 months old. Through my 18 months of sign language experience, I've learned exactly what works and what may not. Here are a few hints to get parents started signing with their infants: 1. Choose a sign (or signs) to begin with. Many parents choose milk, more, eat, drink or a favorite toy. 2. Show your child sign (or signs) during an activity (for example, during nursing, if you choose to begin with milk, or before dinner, if you choose to begin with eat).
| | Communicating with your child who doesn't use words to talkWritten by Lisa Simmons
We all know people who can speak volumes without ever opening their mouths. They use their hands, their body language, their facial expressions. Experts tell us that when we talk with each other, only 7% of our message is communicated by actual words we speak. Now that we know that communication is not really about words -- it may be a little easier to look beyond words when we communicate with our kids who don't use words to "talk". Our tips today are divided into 2 groups -- #1) communicating their basic needs & stuff in their environment & #2) sharing their ideas, feelings, & comments on life. So where do we start. Our words of wisdom: #1 - Needs & Stuff 1. Start with yes & no - By starting with yes & no you give your child ability to answer two very important questions: „X Are you (tired, hungry, thirsty, etc)? „X Do you want (a snack, your red shirt, to go to park)? Another advantage of starting with yes/no is that it can be done in a variety of ways from standard head nod to virtually any combination of motor responses. For example, twitching left hand can mean yes & a head jerk can mean no. The key is to find something your child has good control of & to use system consistently. 2. Choice making - The next logical step from yes/no is usually a point response. This allows you to offer your child a wider range of options. Instead of doing time consuming one at a time choice you can offer your child a 2-3 choices at a time. If a point response doesn't work this can also be managed using head movements to right, left, & center. Just be sure your child understands choices & which item he/she is picking! 3. Word Labels - If your child is mobile & has a fairly large vocabulary (or if you want to encourage more vocabulary) word labels may be a good choice for your family. Labeling involves typing names of frequently used objects in a large type size, laminating sign & attaching it with velcro to actual item. When your child wants item they simply pull off label & bring it to you. This works really well if you start with your child's favorite items. In addition to exposing your child regularly to written words this also encourages your child to initiate requests rather than wait on someone else to offer them something. 4. Touch Screens - Touch screens are a wonderful invention! They allow your child to experience awesome sensation of being in control -- making things happen! In addition to this experience with cause & effect they encourage kids to get comfortable with computer. Down road that comfort & familiarity will go a long way towards helping them adjust to more complicated assistive technology devices. 5. Request/schedule boards - Request boards are simply photographs or black & white drawings of objects & activities that your child enjoys or needs often. They can be easilly updated as your child's favorites change & work well velcroed to wheelchair trays for kids who spend lots of time seated in a wheelchair. Even pictures can be velcroed on if you have a really "changeable" child. This allows child to select which pictures they want on their board at beginning of day. Picture boards also work well for school or family schedules & can help kids who stress about change know what's coming up next. 6. Show me - Perhaps simpliest communication strategy is simple "Show me what you need" response. This can be a real frustration reliever when your child just can't get words out or make their body cooperate. The only drawback to this strategy is that kids rapidly become "sleeve tuggers" if you use this method regularly. A good way to prevent this is to build in step 2 right from beginning. Once your child shows you desired item, respond with "Oh you wanted your teddy bear! Great! Now, let's add a picture of teddy to your board so that you can show me picture next time!"
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