Re: Hard to understand speech/sign language

[Guest guest]

Hi Jen-

We taught our 4yr old sign language just because--my mother suggested

it. She was an interpreter for deaf children, it was such a great

idea. We could really easily communicate with her before she could

talk. And even from across the room, she could let us know what she

wanted or what was the matter/problem/or what she was so happy

about. With the birth of Pippin and learning of RSS we knew from the

get go that we would be teaching her even more signs. I highly

recommend sign language. I think that several parents on the list

serve are using it also.

From another Jen-

Team Lapish

Jenyfer, Dan, Tully & Pippin (16mo-RSS)

[Guest guest]

I also used this technique with Janelle and it worked great! She loved

communicating with her hands and oral sounds together.

J

> From: ljhess0701@...

> Reply-To: RSS-Support

> Date: Thu, 25 Mar 2004 10:16:22 EST

> To: RSS-Support

> Subject: Hard to understand speech/sign language

>

> Hi everyone!

> I have been reading about some of your kids having a hard time

> communicating...and I am wondering if you have ever considered integrating a

> bit of sign

> language into your children's vocabulary? Xavier and my husband are deaf so

> we

> sign for the baby, (Lance is completely oral) but when my older son Wyatt was

> about 2 he had almost no hearing due to chronic ear infections. This resulted

> in a very frustrated little boy who knew what he wanted to say, but couldn't

> find or say the words he was looking for. A few signs helped him to relax and

> get his point across without getting frustrated, and it actually helped him

> learn to speak the words he was signing. If you take out the frustration

> aspect,

> it goes much quicker. I can't tell you how much of a difference it made,

> when instead of trying to tell me he wanted some juice and me having no idea

> what

> he was talking about, resulting in him getting so frustrated he'd cry and

> just give up, he was able to learn the sign for juice and get his message

> across..then I was able to help him -say- juice while giving it to him. A lot

> of

> people think that teaching sign language to a kid will delay their speech, but

> that is completely the opposite of the truth. It reinforces a word in more

> than

> one way..you learn the sign, you see the object, you say the word. Wyatt now

> speaks just fine, and the only sign language he uses is when he's talking to

> or around Xavier. As I said, my husband no longer signs, (except around the

> kids so Xavier can " listen " in on our conversations) is completely oral, and

> has no problem understanding or being understood...and he is almost completely

> deaf.

> Just a thought, it really helped us out!

> Jen

> Xavier 15months, 15lbs!, 27in RSS, G-tube, Fundoplacation, 27 cal Formula,

> Myrilax, ST, OT, PT, FT

> Emerald, 5, Non RSS

> Wyatt, 4, Non RSS

>

>

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