Re: Sign language and my son - was: Looking for insight!
Sarah
When my son was 18 months or so he caught what the doctor said was the Norwalk virus. At that time he had about 10 words. After throwing up for 14 hours and having diarrhea for weeks his 10 words went down to 4 words. He even stopped saying "Momma" and would just use "mm". A friend of mine has a son just 11 days older than my son and her son had to be hospitalized for over a week due to dehydration from the same virus. The doctors told me the only reason my son didn't become dehydrated was because I was still nursing him. The thing is his speech did not come back in the same way after that. He would try to speak but it was extremely garbled. People would say, "Boy when he learns to talk he'll sure have a lot to say!". The diarrhea lasted for several months and he lost a lot of weight along with those words and no new words came. I now tell people that I am VERY thankful for what ever prompted me to introduce him to "Baby Signs" at 10 months of age forward. BTW, he especially liked the Signing Time series because there are children doing the signs and they use very catchy music.
So I used signs as I was speaking to him and my son learned them and made up his own signs all over the place. I have video of him using almost all sign language at the age of 3. I believe the problem for him was that it wasn't fast enough or enough people didn't understand because he would get VERY frustrated when someone didn't understand what he was saying/signing. He was also unsure if someone understood unless the person would repeat back to him what they thought he was saying. In other words you couldn't just nod and say, "Uh huh", he'd test you to make SURE you knew! Once a very happy go lucky child, he developed a powerful and quick temper when frustrated. That issue still continues to this day. Would it have been that way without the speech apraxia? Maybe so, who knows and I guess it doesn't really matter. What matters to me is supporting what he wanted and he wanted to speak.
There are a number of children that I know who were basically unable to speak until almost age 4 and then began to speak clearly on their own. I have two nephews in fact and they never showed any distress at not being understood. But my son wanted in a very strong way to communicate verbally. He'd get down right MAD or worse very depressed. He needed help. He has a neurological problem that makes the motor planning of speech very, very difficult. It is not a speech impediment nor a developmental issue. Me? I would have been fine with sign or even a telecommunications device. Instead he decided that he wanted to speak, he even refused to use PECS (using pictures to communicate) and he was very adamant about which speech therapists he liked and which he refused to go to. During this I began to believe that my job as a parent was (and is) to support my son in his choices and that's what I've attempted to do.
I've written all this because I want people to be introduced to the idea that it might be fine to let some children "grow out of it" but there are others that wont. Apraxia is a life long condition. I believe that people should base what they do (therapy or no) based on what the child wants. Ignoring a real communications disability or any disability could be missing an important window because those youngsters can learn so much! They are able to build new brain connections at a rapid pace and it's truly amazing what they can do. Today most people who meet my son do not believe that he has a moderate to severe language impairment. He has worked very hard to get to this point and even though it's still hard for him to speak he doesn't give up because (and I'll say it again!) it's what he wants to do. And believe me, I know when he doesn't want to do something! *grin*
Anyway, now when I see people with babes in arms I frequently mention introducing sign at around 10 - 12 months of age. For nothing else it certainly can help through the times when children are more than able to understand language but they're not physically developed enough to speak.
All the best,
Sarah
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
So I used signs as I was speaking to him and my son learned them and made up his own signs all over the place. I have video of him using almost all sign language at the age of 3. I believe the problem for him was that it wasn't fast enough or enough people didn't understand because he would get VERY frustrated when someone didn't understand what he was saying/signing. He was also unsure if someone understood unless the person would repeat back to him what they thought he was saying. In other words you couldn't just nod and say, "Uh huh", he'd test you to make SURE you knew! Once a very happy go lucky child, he developed a powerful and quick temper when frustrated. That issue still continues to this day. Would it have been that way without the speech apraxia? Maybe so, who knows and I guess it doesn't really matter. What matters to me is supporting what he wanted and he wanted to speak.
There are a number of children that I know who were basically unable to speak until almost age 4 and then began to speak clearly on their own. I have two nephews in fact and they never showed any distress at not being understood. But my son wanted in a very strong way to communicate verbally. He'd get down right MAD or worse very depressed. He needed help. He has a neurological problem that makes the motor planning of speech very, very difficult. It is not a speech impediment nor a developmental issue. Me? I would have been fine with sign or even a telecommunications device. Instead he decided that he wanted to speak, he even refused to use PECS (using pictures to communicate) and he was very adamant about which speech therapists he liked and which he refused to go to. During this I began to believe that my job as a parent was (and is) to support my son in his choices and that's what I've attempted to do.
I've written all this because I want people to be introduced to the idea that it might be fine to let some children "grow out of it" but there are others that wont. Apraxia is a life long condition. I believe that people should base what they do (therapy or no) based on what the child wants. Ignoring a real communications disability or any disability could be missing an important window because those youngsters can learn so much! They are able to build new brain connections at a rapid pace and it's truly amazing what they can do. Today most people who meet my son do not believe that he has a moderate to severe language impairment. He has worked very hard to get to this point and even though it's still hard for him to speak he doesn't give up because (and I'll say it again!) it's what he wants to do. And believe me, I know when he doesn't want to do something! *grin*
Anyway, now when I see people with babes in arms I frequently mention introducing sign at around 10 - 12 months of age. For nothing else it certainly can help through the times when children are more than able to understand language but they're not physically developed enough to speak.
All the best,
Sarah
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Shannon
Absolutely which is why when I wrote about leaving the therapist I carefully
phrased it as an uncomfortable option. We all have choices and only we know
the right ones. I have always given my children their own choice. Choice of
ice cream, choice of colors, choice of doctors. they have the power to say
no. I only over rule this choice very seldom when not doing something like
going to the doctors would endanger the child. Just like most unschoolers
would not choose a subscription learning program like time4learning but my
son wanted to learn to read and we tried many things. He said "mom, I think
this will work can we try it." I said "sure". I said "where do you want to
start?" He decided on starting at "level 1" which is first grade. I guess I
could have started him out at the kindergarten level but it didn't deal with
learning to read - and he is doing well and plays on it about two - three
times a week.
I will say I did have some therapy in private school. I was pulled out
during special times - don't really know what I missed. I mostly loved my
"therapy time" because she made it fun and I never remember any homework. I
remember a lot of Dr. Seuss which I thought was great fun and I remember
doing facial and tongue exercises that I still do without thinking about it
usually when I am lost in thought. I still occasionally have trouble with
words especially when I am upset or mix words when I get upset or
frustrated.
Sign was part of what we did as kids (my parents had friends who were hard
of hearing and some that were deaf) and I just continued it with my kids. I
often sign when I speak even at home and even when I mix engish and Spanish.
We still mostly use Signs for need and desires not for general conversation.
When I use the signs it is only to reinforce there meaning. I sign to my
kids from the beginning and they pick it up fast. My six month old is
already telling me when he is hungry - always the first sign. lol!
Shannon
_____
I've written all this because I want people to be introduced to the idea
that it might be fine to let some children "grow out of it" but there are
others that wont. Apraxia is a life long condition. I believe that people
should base what they do (therapy or no) based on what the child wants.
Ignoring a real communications disability or any disability could be missing
an important window because those youngsters can learn so much! They are
able to build new brain connections at a rapid pace and it's truly amazing
what they can do. Today most people who meet my son do not believe that he
has a moderate to severe language impairment. He has worked very hard to get
to this point and even though it's still hard for him to speak he doesn't
give up because (and I'll say it again!) it's what he wants to do. And
believe me, I know when he doesn't want to do something! *grin*
Anyway, now when I see people with babes in arms I frequently mention
introducing sign at around 10 - 12 months of age. For nothing else it
certainly can help through the times when children are more than able to
understand language but they're not physically developed enough to speak.
All the best,
Sarah
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
phrased it as an uncomfortable option. We all have choices and only we know
the right ones. I have always given my children their own choice. Choice of
ice cream, choice of colors, choice of doctors. they have the power to say
no. I only over rule this choice very seldom when not doing something like
going to the doctors would endanger the child. Just like most unschoolers
would not choose a subscription learning program like time4learning but my
son wanted to learn to read and we tried many things. He said "mom, I think
this will work can we try it." I said "sure". I said "where do you want to
start?" He decided on starting at "level 1" which is first grade. I guess I
could have started him out at the kindergarten level but it didn't deal with
learning to read - and he is doing well and plays on it about two - three
times a week.
I will say I did have some therapy in private school. I was pulled out
during special times - don't really know what I missed. I mostly loved my
"therapy time" because she made it fun and I never remember any homework. I
remember a lot of Dr. Seuss which I thought was great fun and I remember
doing facial and tongue exercises that I still do without thinking about it
usually when I am lost in thought. I still occasionally have trouble with
words especially when I am upset or mix words when I get upset or
frustrated.
Sign was part of what we did as kids (my parents had friends who were hard
of hearing and some that were deaf) and I just continued it with my kids. I
often sign when I speak even at home and even when I mix engish and Spanish.
We still mostly use Signs for need and desires not for general conversation.
When I use the signs it is only to reinforce there meaning. I sign to my
kids from the beginning and they pick it up fast. My six month old is
already telling me when he is hungry - always the first sign. lol!
Shannon
_____
I've written all this because I want people to be introduced to the idea
that it might be fine to let some children "grow out of it" but there are
others that wont. Apraxia is a life long condition. I believe that people
should base what they do (therapy or no) based on what the child wants.
Ignoring a real communications disability or any disability could be missing
an important window because those youngsters can learn so much! They are
able to build new brain connections at a rapid pace and it's truly amazing
what they can do. Today most people who meet my son do not believe that he
has a moderate to severe language impairment. He has worked very hard to get
to this point and even though it's still hard for him to speak he doesn't
give up because (and I'll say it again!) it's what he wants to do. And
believe me, I know when he doesn't want to do something! *grin*
Anyway, now when I see people with babes in arms I frequently mention
introducing sign at around 10 - 12 months of age. For nothing else it
certainly can help through the times when children are more than able to
understand language but they're not physically developed enough to speak.
All the best,
Sarah
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Joyce Fetteroll
On Aug 8, 2008, at 12:07 AM, Shannon wrote:
all parents and teachers knew! -- that learning to read requires all
the brain areas needed for reading to have matured. (And it involves
several brain areas.) If the brain hasn't matured enough to put all
the pieces together, the child just can't learn to read regardless of
the number of programs they go through. Once they're developmentally
ready it can seem like the program worked, but it's really the brain
that was ready to fit the information together.
And desire can often come well before ability. Loads of kids want to
ride a bike and spend a frustrating summer trying. But then the next
summer they get up and ride because the various parts of the brain
needed are all mature enough and working well together.
Kids can be developmentally ready to read from 3 to 13. My daughter
recognized many letters and could tell me their sounds early. Maybe
18 months? But reading didn't click for her until -- I don't even
know. She didn't like reading so it's unclear when she actually
could. At 10 she read Harry Potter out loud but said it was hard for
her. (It sounded easy.) It wasn't until 14 or so that she really
enjoyed reading.
Joyce
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> but myIt's really important for unschooling parents to know -- and I wish
> son wanted to learn to read and we tried many things.
all parents and teachers knew! -- that learning to read requires all
the brain areas needed for reading to have matured. (And it involves
several brain areas.) If the brain hasn't matured enough to put all
the pieces together, the child just can't learn to read regardless of
the number of programs they go through. Once they're developmentally
ready it can seem like the program worked, but it's really the brain
that was ready to fit the information together.
And desire can often come well before ability. Loads of kids want to
ride a bike and spend a frustrating summer trying. But then the next
summer they get up and ride because the various parts of the brain
needed are all mature enough and working well together.
Kids can be developmentally ready to read from 3 to 13. My daughter
recognized many letters and could tell me their sounds early. Maybe
18 months? But reading didn't click for her until -- I don't even
know. She didn't like reading so it's unclear when she actually
could. At 10 she read Harry Potter out loud but said it was hard for
her. (It sounded easy.) It wasn't until 14 or so that she really
enjoyed reading.
Joyce
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]