Question about sign language and Autism

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 9/4/02 5:38:30 AM Pacific Daylight Time,

momofrussell@... writes:

<<

only knows a few signs really doesn't do them to communicate,

he does it for self stim purposes (I am now realizing). Do children

that can't speak AND are Autistic learn sign language and communicate

this way? Or is it difficult? Do any of your children know sign

language and communicate this way??

does not talk at all and I am wondering if I need to push the

sign language thing more or back off.

A. >>

Hi Adrienne,

I'm Gail, Mom to Seth - 6 years old. Seth doesn't talk or use sign

language---yet. He was dx'd when he was 2 years old. We tried sign, for a

short time. Tried pecs for 4 years. Now we are trying AC devices this year,

along with pecs. I know we will eventually find some form of communication

for him, but it's taking longer than I had hoped. Is in preschool?

An autism program?

Gail :-)

Gail-Mom to Seth 6 ds/asd/pica, jo 10 the gymnast, 11 the

pianist, 25 beautiful but a pain, Jen 26 the wallet breaker, Grandma to

Errick 6 ALL boy and wife to , my hero.

[Guest guest]

only knows a few signs really doesn't do them to communicate,

he does it for self stim purposes (I am now realizing). Do children

that can't speak AND are Autistic learn sign language and communicate

this way? Or is it difficult? Do any of your children know sign

language and communicate this way??

does not talk at all and I am wondering if I need to push the

sign language thing more or back off.

A.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 9/4/02 8:38:07 AM Eastern Daylight Time,

momofrussell@... writes:

> only knows a few signs really doesn't do them to communicate,

> he does it for self stim purposes (I am now realizing). Do children

> that can't speak AND are Autistic learn sign language and communicate

> this way? Or is it difficult? Do any of your children know sign

> language and communicate this way??

Hi,

Maddie (8, DS and autism) is non-verbal and also does not comprehend any

oral language (other than her name and no). She knows some signs, but does

not sign herself. She knows sit, bath, eat, Barney. We use PECS with her

too. I believe in using a mixture of methods....we've tried AC stuff

before, with no luck.

BTW, welcome to the group!!

Donna

[Guest guest]

Hi and welcome to the group. My name is Pam and I have identical twins both with

DS. Hannah and . also has Autism.

The choice for communcation for our kids are PECS. Both of my girls are being

taught signs in Speech Therapy but WILL NOT use them. Hannah does and

learns them quickly. At school, and is written in the IEP, is starting to

learn how to use the PECS. PECS stands for Picture Exchange Commincation System.

I don't know very much about it myself and need to get the system to use at home

but someone from this group will tell you more about it.

Welcome to the group again. I'm glad you found us. There are many wonderful

families on here and you will find this is a great resource for you and your

child. There are some warm terrific mothers on here you will find to be

irreplacable.

Just knowing you are not alone is very comforting. It was for me.

Pam in Tennessee

momofrussell wrote: only knows a few signs really doesn't do them to

communicate,

he does it for self stim purposes (I am now realizing). Do children

that can't speak AND are Autistic learn sign language and communicate

this way? Or is it difficult? Do any of your children know sign

language and communicate this way??

does not talk at all and I am wondering if I need to push the

sign language thing more or back off.

A.

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kids. Share favorite bookmarks, ideas, and other information by including them.

Don't forget, messages are a permanent record of the archives for our list.

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[Guest guest]

Trisha is 10 is DS/Autistic. She is also non-verbal for the most part. We

use signs with her and although it's taken a long time for her to start using

her signs as actual communication she is beginning to do so now. She has

been using signs since she was about 4 yrs old and appropriately using sign

for movies (which she loves) and the sign for finish. She is now using the

sign for hurt appropriately as well as using the sign for " what " and the sign

for wait. While she understands more signs, she uses the signs that she

feels she needs the most. The other day she signed hot to me after eating a

slice of pizza that was still rather warm. It's taken us years to get to

this point but we see more appropriate uses and she is adding a few more

signs and using them at school as well. We discovered that when her teacher

took sign class Trishas use of signs improved which makes sense because

before the teacher didn't know what she was signing so didn't respond

appropriately so Trisha just stopped using signs for awhile. Now we see more

use both at home and at school. I can tell you this much, for us it has been

worth the effort to teach her sign, at least now I know when she wants a

movie, a drink, something to eat, when she is hurting (although it's still a

guessing game as to what hurts) :-)

She is real good about signing finished and seems to not only understand the

sign but enjoys letting us know she is done. Some of her signing is

approximation but it still lets us know what she is saying and now our goal

is for the school to increase the amount of signs (up until this past year

they thought that if she could just sign yes or no that was all she needed),

but after many discussions (and I use that term loosely) they agreed to do

more with signs and now her teacher is saying how she wished that had worked

more with signing in the past. It's a long road but yes, I'd stick with it,

don't give up trying. Signs that we were teaching Trisha 5 yrs ago she is

just now showing us she comprehends them but that's ok, it's not how long it

takes to get there, it's the end results!

Carol

Trishasmom

[Guest guest]

No isn't in an Autism class yet, but after we get eval'd I am

hoping to change his school to something more suited for his needs.

We have a wonderful program in the next county but they don't take

out of district children because they are too crowded. I am just

going to have to see where this all takes us with a DX and all.

uses the PECS at school but I don't know how well it is

really working with him.

A.

> In a message dated 9/4/02 5:38:30 AM Pacific Daylight Time,

> momofrussell@y... writes:

>

> <<

> only knows a few signs really doesn't do them to

communicate,

> he does it for self stim purposes (I am now realizing). Do

children

> that can't speak AND are Autistic learn sign language and

communicate

> this way? Or is it difficult? Do any of your children know sign

> language and communicate this way??

>

> does not talk at all and I am wondering if I need to push

the

> sign language thing more or back off.

>

> A. >>

>

> Hi Adrienne,

> I'm Gail, Mom to Seth - 6 years old. Seth doesn't talk or use sign

> language---yet. He was dx'd when he was 2 years old. We tried

sign, for a

> short time. Tried pecs for 4 years. Now we are trying AC devices

this year,

> along with pecs. I know we will eventually find some form of

communication

> for him, but it's taking longer than I had hoped. Is in

preschool?

> An autism program?

> Gail :-)

> Gail-Mom to Seth 6 ds/asd/pica, jo 10 the gymnast, 11

the

> pianist, 25 beautiful but a pain, Jen 26 the wallet breaker,

Grandma to

> Errick 6 ALL boy and wife to , my hero.

[Guest guest]

Thanks Pam, uses PECS too... and I DO feel a bit alone right

now, thanks for the kind words.

A.

only knows a few signs really doesn't

do them to communicate,

> he does it for self stim purposes (I am now realizing). Do children

> that can't speak AND are Autistic learn sign language and

communicate

> this way? Or is it difficult? Do any of your children know sign

> language and communicate this way??

>

> does not talk at all and I am wondering if I need to push

the

> sign language thing more or back off.

>

> A.

>

>

>

> --------------------------------------------------

> Checkout our homepage for information, bookmarks, and

photos of our kids. Share favorite bookmarks, ideas, and other

information by including them. Don't forget, messages are a permanent

record of the archives for our list. ds-

autism

> --------------------------------------------

>

>

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 9/4/02 2:47:32 PM Pacific Daylight Time,

momofrussell@... writes:

<< No isn't in an Autism class yet, but after we get eval'd I am

hoping to change his school to something more suited for his needs.

We have a wonderful program in the next county but they don't take

out of district children because they are too crowded. I am just

going to have to see where this all takes us with a DX and all.

uses the PECS at school but I don't know how well it is

really working with him.

A. >>

Adrienne,

I hope it all works out for you. I think I'm the resident *list chicken*

when it comes to battling the district. There are some experts on the list

though, so if you decide to fight for what needs, you will have lots

of support. I'm sure that pecs go work better for Seth if we used it more at

home. I find it just too difficult to use it at home. I hope that

soars with it.

(((((hugs)))))

Gail :-)

[Guest guest]

use to use sign language all the time, but

atarted talking last year (yaaaa) and has dropped many

of them. But we found using a form of communication

nthan could easily do cut down on the behavior

problems dramatically. shawna.

--- momofrussell <momofrussell@...> wrote:

> only knows a few signs really doesn't do

> them to communicate,

> he does it for self stim purposes (I am now

> realizing). Do children

> that can't speak AND are Autistic learn sign

> language and communicate

> this way? Or is it difficult? Do any of your

> children know sign

> language and communicate this way??

>

> does not talk at all and I am wondering if I

> need to push the

> sign language thing more or back off.

>

> A.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi,

Jenna has been using sign since she was 2-3 yr.old. She is now 16, we

went to an ASL 1/2 day camp for 5 days and she loved it! She would

say whatever was signed. Jenna can't do many signs, the fine motor

and motor planning details. But she understands faster when something

is said and signed. She does have a hearing loss, and we didn't have

a diagnosis of autism until May 2002. I try everything and anything

with Jenna. Just because she can't speak so that she is understood

does not mean she doesn't understand and learn.

We are just tryiong to start with the picture exchange. A million

Thanks to Urthman and other swho continue to support us!

Best of Luck:)

Lynn Grabko

> In a message dated 9/4/02 8:38:07 AM Eastern Daylight Time,

> momofrussell@y... writes:

>

>

> > only knows a few signs really doesn't do them to

communicate,

> > he does it for self stim purposes (I am now realizing). Do

children

> > that can't speak AND are Autistic learn sign language and

communicate

> > this way? Or is it difficult? Do any of your children know sign

> > language and communicate this way??

>

> Hi,

> Maddie (8, DS and autism) is non-verbal and also does not

comprehend any

> oral language (other than her name and no). She knows some

signs, but does

> not sign herself. She knows sit, bath, eat, Barney. We use PECS

with her

> too. I believe in using a mixture of methods....we've tried AC

stuff

> before, with no luck.

> BTW, welcome to the group!!

> Donna

>

>

>