DownSyn Forum

Poppy · Posted: October 12 2010, 9:27 PM Post subject: Questions on Sign Language

Hello!!

I am new to this forum, but I love that I have found such a great site! Very Happy

(Especially with being stationed overseas and not knowing any other parents of DS)

My question is....how many of you have or do use sign language to communicate with your LO? If you do use sign language, when did you start? How long did it take for them to recognize the signs? Has it helped? What method did you teach (ASL or Signing Times)? (I know allot of questions Confused

)
Owen is now 10 months, and I have recently enrolled him in a mommy and me sign language course taught by a certified instructor, who uses the “Signing Times” to teach the course. (It was recommended by his developmental therapist that he learn sign language). So far we have only attended 1 month of classes, which is held once a week. I also bought for him the Signing Times kit for babies, so that I can work more closely with him at home too. We also love classes for their small numbers (6 in class), and for Owen to have the chance to socialize with other babies, since I am a SAHM. We are using only baby signs to start with (milk, more, stop, all done, play, sleep, ect.) and then plan to incorporate more as we go. Of course Owen is not signing yet, and he seems to recognize the sign for “milk” and “more”, but that is it. I understand this will take allot patients and consistency; in addition to helping him sign the signs as I say the word, or point to a picture.
Anyways, I was just curious if any of you have had success with sign language, and about how long after you started, did your child respond?

Thanks,
New Mom ~Rona

_________________
Rona ~ Mommy to Owen ~ 12/10/09 (T21) and Air Force Wife to Andy

maggiebeth25 · Posted: October 12 2010, 9:41 PM Post subject:

we have been doing "more" "food" and "all done". i know she understands them but i think she may be inventing her own signs for "more" (slap on table) and "all done" (wave one hand in the air). we are now adding "mommy", "daddy" and "doggie". we started with her around 6 months. it didn't take her long to get "food" since we did it while showing her the bottle. it took longer for the other two signs.

_________________
Maggie, mom to Rachel (9/19/09), duodenal atresia repair on 10/26/09, VSD closed
and Charlie (8/12/11) MSPI
www.maggiefluck.blogspot.com

thaidyed · Posted: October 13 2010, 1:43 AM Post subject:

Dear Rona
HI! I'm abroad and totally get the cut-off feeling too.
I just got a bunch of signing time DVDs and am looking forward to getting started. Unfortunately we don't have a class available to us but we'll start and go from there. Everyone has told me to start asap and keep expectation low for when they'll sign back and trust that they'll come to understand gradually.

Best of luck!

_________________

Mom to Nava, born 29 March 2010 in Bangkok
http://navagating.blogspot.com

Tigger · Posted: October 13 2010, 6:36 AM Post subject:

We are in Australia so we don't have signing times - I wish we had something like that but there is nothing. We did Makaton, which is key word signing, with Talitha from about 10 months old. It seemed like ages before she understood and forever before she started signing but she is nearly 5 now and still uses signs for more, yoghurt, ice cream and a few other things. And she will revert to signs sometimes when she is tired or deciding to be non-verbal. When she uses a sign she says the word too but the sign helps us know what she is saying and also helps at preschool.

When we started she was tube fed so we didn't do any food signs - she knows signs for most animals though LOL. We started with dog which was the first sign she did back, then cat and sheep, goat, chicken etc. We are kind of on a farm so they are all relevant to her day to day life.
When we were working on getting her eating and drinking we started the signs for 'eat', 'drink' and then as she started eating we taught her 'more'.

Signing is great and really helps a lot with communication.

_________________
Karyn
Mum to Nikki (Jul 89), Stefanie (Sep 96), Joel [June 98] and Talitha (DS) (Nov 05) AVSD/PDA repaired 23 March 06

"I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well." Psalm 139:14

Momof6 · Posted: October 13 2010, 7:56 AM Post subject:

Hi and welcome to the forum. So glad you found us. Your little man is sooo cute.

We started signing to Austin at 2 months with Milk. He is now 2 and can sign about 20 signs. Our ST had us start with the basics like....milk, more, all done, eat, play, and mom and dad. And we learn more ourselves and now just with everyday talking with him we will sign. He doesn't know or use all of what we do with him, but he sees what our hands are doing with our words. It may take awhile before your son will sign himself, but he will know them. Just practice, practice, practice. The more he sees you doing it, the faster he will pick it up.

I use this web site alot whne I need a word.... www.signingsavvy.com
Good luck and have fun.

_________________
~Christine~
Mom of 6
Brandon ADD/ADHD 19, Chelsea 16, Connor 14, Logan 9, Cody 6 & Austin 4 ( DS & Hirschsprungs pull through 12/8/08 ) diagnosis 10/28/10 Colonic Neuropathy, 12/16/11 dx with seizure disorder, neurogentic bladder...Monti Cath 11/9/12
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/austinpaquin

I think I can, I think I can.
Climb the highest hills in all the land.
(If you think you can, you can.)
He could and he did !

I say CHEESE !

JanetG · Posted: October 13 2010, 8:08 AM Post subject:

We started signing when Jacey was about 6 months. Like you, I took a mommy and me signing class which helped me get started. I learned 36 basic signs during the class and that formed our base. They were ASL signs, with a couple variations. We continued signing everyday items to Jacey and when she was about 13 months, she did her first sign - MORE. Since that time, her signing has exploded and I have no idea how many signs she knows now. In fact, it is a struggle for me to keep up w/ her. She learns them so quickly. You are going about things the right way - just keep signing, and Owen will figure it out! It's amazing to watch once they get it!

_________________
Janet (45) and Jeff (45)
Joshua (angel) '85 (1 day old)
Sarah-age 23
Jaret-age 6
Jacey-born 2/22/08 (dx w/ Ds 9/10/07)

Karien · Posted: October 13 2010, 10:03 AM Post subject:

I only started signing with Kallen last year. My niece bought me a parcel of Signing flash cards at a book store here, and I showed Kallen the cards- to build vocabulary and for fun. I showed him the signs, and pretty soon he started signing back, as a way of "showing off" I took the cards along to drs offices ext- everywhere we had to wait and did it for fun. He liked it so much that I bought some Signing Time dvd's and we all love it. At first he didn't show interest, but after about 2 weeks- of ME watching it he started asking for it ALL THE TIME. I personally think that signing is not only a new language and a way of communication, but it's also a motor-planning thing and I believe it would also benefit children who are kinetic learners.

_________________
Karien: happily married to Neels
Mom to Ewald (19), Eduan (16), Alvin (12) and KALLEN 6

Poppy · Posted: October 13 2010, 1:29 PM Post subject: Thank you!

Wow thank you for the responses!

Seems like everyone has had success with sign language and that it works! (This gives me hope for Owen!) In reading everyone's response, it has motivated me that much more to keep it up with Owen, and to continue to take it one day at a time.

It may take Owen longer to catch on or do stuff, but I see it as a blessing too! I know it's always going to be 10x more work and effort, but it's also double that in rewards once Owen accomplishes them! I am also so much more grateful and appreciative for the things he can and will accomplish!

Well thanks again, I will just keep it up! (Also loved seeing the pictures that everyone has.....so many adorable and cute little ones in this forum!!! )

_________________
Rona ~ Mommy to Owen ~ 12/10/09 (T21) and Air Force Wife to Andy

HAnd · Posted: October 13 2010, 10:20 PM Post subject:

First of all, Owen is adorable! Everyone else seems to have answered your questions but I thought you might want to hear our success since Kyle is just a little bit older. I didn't start signing with him until he could sit unassisted close to 11 months. In the short time since we started he will occasionally sign eat and alldone but will consistently sign milk since nursing is one of his all time favorite activities Smile

. We are working on more and some of his favorite toys like book and ball and mommy, which he signs milk when he wants me. It has been amazing his progress in such a short time. Good luck! Smile

_________________
-Heidi wife of Kevin and Mom to Nikolai-12, MaryKate-11, Sara-4, and Kyle (T21)-9/27/09 is a big brother! To Eon- 9/2/12

Annieo · Posted: October 14 2010, 9:04 AM Post subject:

I have taught all my kids a few signs as babies just to keep them from screaming for what they want. With John we started at about 12 months, but it took him forever to get it. I don't think he did his first sign until he was 18 months old or so. We have all the regular Signing Times videos and he loved them. (Signing Times uses ASL as far as I know.) He dropped the signs as he learned to speak. It's funny to see him signing again to his baby sister now that she's learned a few signs.

The baby is signing "milk" so it's time to go!

_________________

Ann, married to Tim, mom to Sally, Mark, Jane, John (12/02, DS), Paul, and Alice
www.caringbridge.org/visit/johnbremer

adriennelynne · Posted: October 18 2010, 9:43 PM Post subject: signing

The speech therapist had me working on sign language with Bentley from about 5-6 months. It seemed like it took FOREVER! She discouraged us from signing "more" and "please" as often children will stop at those signs. At around 18 months he finally signed eat... a week or two later came drink... then we started teaching me as many as we could! He's just over 2 now and is capable of learning 2 or more signs a WEEK! After he learned the first 3 it became so easy for him to learn more! I'd say he has 25 signs that he uses to communicate.
We taught him the initial signs on our own, but now I use the Baby Signing Time videos that my friend lent us. You should order them online. http://www.google.com/search?q=baby+signing+time&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&prmd=sv&source=univ&tbs=shop:1&tbo=u&ei=YwW9TLOOEdObnwe5tNSJDg&sa=X&oi=product_result_group&ct=title&resnum=3&ved=0CEMQrQQwAg
Bentley LOVES them and signs baby all day long- even though he only gets to watch one 30 minute dvd a day!
My advice: persevere... seriously it seemed like FOREVER and I kept telling my husband- he's not getting it, he's never going to sign, and then it just clicked in his little brain one day.
Good luck! And look forward to some really cute signs!

_________________
Adrienne (2 Cool

Mom to Bentley born 8.14.08 (DS) and
Clayton 12.25.09
Lillian 11.23.11

Poppy · Posted: October 18 2010, 10:35 PM Post subject:

Aww thanks everyone!!! Owen is starting to show more excitement with the signs "milk" "eat" and "more"! (I have also ordered him the "Baby Signing Times" DVD's / kit from his instructor, so looking forward to doing those with him.)

I am so impressed by everyone's success and stories; it really gives me the same hope for us!

Thanks for all the encouragement and I look forward to posting some of Owen's first signs one day.

XO ~ R

_________________
Rona ~ Mommy to Owen ~ 12/10/09 (T21) and Air Force Wife to Andy