(not plagio related) speech/language development and sign language

[Guest guest]

Dear Marci and everyone,

Did you ever consider using signs with ? I'm always asking parents if they use sign language with their infants. It's amazing. We started using American Sign Language with Sammy very early... (He's a hearing child.) At about 9 1/2 months he started producing his first signs (da-da and fan). His spoken language followed soon behind. Now, at 21 months his spoken language is incredible. Last week he told me, "awww, I have to be patient!" when I couldn't play with him. I attribute a lot of his speech and language development to the use of signs early on. He had so many tools to communicate and he had low levels of frustration. We gave him signs for familiar people and objects and he picked them up eagerly. The speech mechanism is very complicated, and often children can understand concepts and produce signs before they are able to produce speech. Signs fill in the gap, lower frustration, etc. Anyway, if you are interested in more information, ask me or check out books by "Sign With Your Baby" and Acevedo "Baby Signs" ... there is a second author with Acevedo but I can't remember her name. Baby Signing is a big craze where I live. There are mommy and me courses around here and also in Manhattan. It's fun!

Pamela (mom to Sam)

----- Original Message -----

From: marcisch@...

Plagiocephaly

Sent: Thursday, June 28, 2001 9:58 AM

Subject: Re: non-plagio We may have to get tubes -Staci

Staci,First let me say good luck at the neuro tomorrow. I hope you will let us know how it goes. It will be good to see the specialist and get some good concrete answers!Second I want to say thank you for the info you provided about speech development. is only 18 months old, but we really thought she would be saying more by now. She is and has been in a VERY stimulating environment for speech development and yet she hardly says but three different words. She stayed with my husband, sister and mom until she was 13 months old and was talked to constantly. My mom, sister and myself all have degrees in elementary education (in fact my sister's degree is in early childhood education!!) so we value the importance of learning and development. She goes to the daycare at our church now and she has a great teacher who provides all sorts of language and speech experiences. can say "more", "ba-ba" and SOMETIMES "mama" and "dada". That is pretty much it and really only our family can understand what she is saying. She does LOTS of gesturing and she leads us by the hand to show us what she wants or what she wants us to do. She understands almost all of what we say (it seems anyways). If I tell her to go get something or go do something she does.OK, enough rambling. I'm very concerned about her speech, but I know I should not worry and that every baby develops at their own rate. I think I mainly worry because so far she has done everything else quite early - at least all her gross and fine motor skills have come early. I hope the tubes will make a difference. I appreciate your explanations and suggestions. I will have her tested by a therapist if she doesn't get going after the tubes. Thanks for your input and help - I really appreciate it!!!!Marci (Mom to )OklahomaFor more plagio info