31 for 21 Challenge: Day Twenty Three. Sign Language

I learned early on that sign language can be helpful for a baby/child with Down Syndrome.  Here's what I have discovered.

1. Many children with Down Syndrome (DS) have some degree of speech delay.  This makes it difficult for parent and child to communicate - leading to frustration for all.
2. Many babies can pick up signs long before they can speak their first words.  They develop gross motor skills needed for signing before they develop the fine motor skills associated with verbal speech.

3. Sign language is not just for the deaf; It can be helpful with:

• apraxia
• autism
• cerebral palsy
• communication impairments
• down syndrome
• deafness/hearing impairment
• LLD - language learning disability
• various learning delays
• medical non-verbal needs, i.e. tracheotomy
• varying degrees of mental impairment

4. The development of speech, language, social, emotional, and academic skills is enhanced through the use of sign language.

5. Sign language accelerates the acquisition of speech by stimulating areas of the brain that are associated with speech and language.

6. Signing provides language stimulation and conceptual information that enhances vocabulary development in children.

7. By expanding vocabulary and social opportunities, sign language naturally enhances self esteem.

How to teach sign language to your baby:

1. Start simple (eat, mama, etc)

2. Introduce one sign at a time & use it often.

3. Say the word as you sign it so baby will associate the word with the sign.

4. Make it fun!

A few sites to help get you started:

http://www.baby-sign-language-academy.com/basic-sign-language-chart.html

http://www.babysignlanguage.com/chart/

http://www.signingsavvy.com/

A Switch in Therapies

Sometimes change is needed.  Recently, we found that to be true.

Josiah was receiving speech and occupational therapy twice per month.  That had been the schedule for months.  As he nears his second birthday, I wondered if that was enough.  After talking to other parents of children with Down syndrome, we decided to switch things up.  We reached out to a local rehabilitation center that offers traditional rehab-based therapy.

Josiah was evaluated by their clinicians, two weeks ago, for speech and occupational therapy (OT).  He was deemed eligible for both services, twice weekly - that is quadruple the services he had been receiving.  

The evaluation for speech deemed him age-appropriate for receptive language skills; he understands everything.  His delays, however, in expressive speech were apparent (this was not new news).  Josiah says three words.  He will be two next month.  They have suggested using a communication book.  Where Josiah's receptive language skills are so keen, they feel he is a great candidate for such a tool.  We are excited to try this new communication aide.

OT will continue to work on fine/gross motor skills.  I anticipate huge strides as the number of sessions per month have just multiplied x4.  I am excited as change is in the air.  Fall will be an exciting time for Josiah.  I believe that huge things are going to happen for him.  

What an exciting time it is.....

 

They are Just Numbers.....

"They are just numbers."  "Try not to get caught up in the numbers."  These are the responses you get when you're mind is reeling over assessment results....

Last Wednesday, Josiah had his "6-month" assessment.  The "6-months" delineates the time since the last eval (at one year).  For this review, early intervention utilizes the "Michigan" evaluation tool.  The test yields numerical results in each category.  The numbers reflect the developmental age of your child, in each category.

Please note that Josiah is currently 18 months old.

Last week's test yielded the following results:

Adaptive: 10 months

Personal/Social: 14 months

Communication
     Receptive: 8 months
     Expressive: 7 months

Motor
     Fine: 7 months
     Gross: 8 months

Cognitive: 9 months

I had been looking forward to this evaluation.  I couldn't wait to "see how far he's come."  I mean, he only starting sitting in January.  He began crawling in February.  I couldn't wait until the numbers reflected his great progress.  If he wasn't 18 months old, the numbers would've have seemed so discouraging.

It's hard to explain how a mother feels with something like this.  I see Josiah every day.  I know how much he "knows."  I see how "smart" he is.  He is an inspiration to me, every day.  Then, I see the numbers.  Cognitively, he's a nine month old.  He certainly doesn't seem like a nine month old.  He's 'so much smarter than that.'  That's the Mom speaking.  Josiah is just so much smarter than the numbers reflect.

Motor - 7 and 8 months.  As much as the numbers are disappointing, I can also see the truth in them.  Josiah's older brothers were sitting independently at 6 months.  They crawled by 8 months.  They were walking at 11 months.  Conversely, Josiah was able to sit independently at 15 months.  He isn't walking yet.  He's almost 19 months old.  I know this is common.  I know this is not 'unusual' in the world of extra chromosomes.  We were prepared for this.  We know this, intellectually. 

As parents, we just want it to be different.  We do but we don't.  We don't want to change a thing about Josiah.  He is perfect just the way that he is.  We just want things to be as easy for him as they have been for his brothers.

We want so much for him.  We want so much for our boys.

In the end, I know Josiah will meet all of the developmental goals.  I know he will accomplish amazing things.  I just need to remember that it will all come in time, in his time, in His time.

Here's to perseverance, and patience.

"Patience is waiting. Not passively waiting.  That is laziness.

But to keep going when the going is hard and slow -

that is patience."

Author unknown

Friday's Facts 061512: Sign Language

I learned early on that sign language can be helpful for a baby/child with Down Syndrome.  Here's what I have discovered.

1. Many children with Down Syndrome (DS) have some degree of speech delay.  This makes it difficult for parent and child to communicate - leading to frustration for all.
2. Many babies can pick up signs long before they can speak their first words.  They develop gross motor skills needed for signing before they develop the fine motor skills associated with verbal speech.

3. Sign language is not just for the deaf; It can be helpful with:

• apraxia
• autism
• cerebral palsy
• communication impairments
• down syndrome
• deafness/hearing impairment
• LLD - language learning disability
• various learning delays
• medical non-verbal needs, i.e. tracheotomy
• varying degrees of mental impairment

4. The development of speech, language, social, emotional, and academic skills is enhanced through the use of sign language.

5. Sign language accelerates the acquisition of speech by stimulating areas of the brain that are associated with speech and language.

6. Signing provides language stimulation and conceptual information that enhances vocabulary development in children.

7. By expanding vocabulary and social opportunities, sign language naturally enhances self esteem.

How to teach sign language to your baby:

1. Start simple (eat, mama, etc)

2. Introduce one sign at a time & use it often.

3. Say the word as you sign it so baby will associate the word with the sign.

4. Make it fun!

A few sites to help get you started:

http://www.baby-sign-language-academy.com/basic-sign-language-chart.html

http://www.babysignlanguage.com/chart/

http://www.signingsavvy.com/