Re: Learning Sign Language

[Guest guest]

Lucy,

Thanks... you reinforced my position with the school.

They don't want to do ASL in school because can

" hear pretty good in one ear and that's enough "

Well it isn't enough, we sign (some not a lot but mostly

basics at this point) at home and boy howdy does it

come in handy when he's tired, scared, upset or hurt.

It comes in so handy with him because he has a speech

problem due to the cleft and the facial palsy. He works

hard on his speech but in the above circumstances even I

can't understand him.

I figure it this way, he may not ever need ASL for his

main communication.. but hey.. I'm raising a bi-lingual

kiddo.

Casey

charge@...

minnow@...

Mom to Dawn 19, Ken 8 ADHD, and 6 CHARGE.

Cobb California

ICQ UIN# 728514

ICQ Pager http://wwp.mirabilis.com/728514

[Guest guest]

There is a book called " Baby Signs " which I have read. It is for

" typical " children and it talks about how much signing enhances their

communication in later years. 's speech therapist gave it to me

when he was young. It is very interesting.

Maresa Fawns

Mother to ph (4) and (2, CHaRGE)

On Wed, 23 Sep 1998 09:23:46 -0700 bill matasker

writes:

>

>

>Lucy wrote:

>>

>>

>We are signing to our son now 16 mths and has been aided in the better

>ear since 4 mths. What a difference in watching his communication

>flourish. He is signing and making verbal gestures and he responds to

>verbal instruction. When we talk we try to use the main signs, like

>if

>we say " do you want me to do that again? " We'll either sign again or

>more. He is picking it up and starting to sign back. I know that my

>son will SOMEDAY develop speech because he has so much hearing and his

>receptive language is very good. But I definitely agree with you that

>until that day comes, he has to has to has to!!! be able to talk to

>us.

>We are lucky to have so much help from his school so early on.

>

>Debbie Matasker (mom to w/CHARGE 16 mths)

>

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

>

[Guest guest]

Lucy wrote:

>

>

We are signing to our son now 16 mths and has been aided in the better

ear since 4 mths. What a difference in watching his communication

flourish. He is signing and making verbal gestures and he responds to

verbal instruction. When we talk we try to use the main signs, like if

we say " do you want me to do that again? " We'll either sign again or

more. He is picking it up and starting to sign back. I know that my

son will SOMEDAY develop speech because he has so much hearing and his

receptive language is very good. But I definitely agree with you that

until that day comes, he has to has to has to!!! be able to talk to us.

We are lucky to have so much help from his school so early on.

Debbie Matasker (mom to w/CHARGE 16 mths)

[Guest guest]

Dear , Casey and Lucy,

You have all spoken recently regarding the use of sign language for

either your own child or those that you deal with in a professional

capacity. As parents, we go through the agonizing dilemmas as to

what is best for our child. With the medical emergencies that many

of these CHARGE children face, we put our faith in purely medical

solutions; sounds reasonable, even though the system may be imperfect

in implementing what we would believe to be sound and compassionate

interventions.

So what happens when our child is diagnosed deaf or hearing

impaired? We head straight for the " medical model " of deafness and

take what the experts dish out.

Only logical, but what we are missing is that there already exists

a way of dealing with the problem through means that place very little

further stress on an already over stressed child by using the sense

that is still intact with the child, her sight. This is the

linguistic / cultural model of deafness, we are not often informed

of. It may well be an extra stressor on the parent to learn the

childs language, but the rewards can only be worth it. Talisa is

profoundly deaf , has colobomas and has a developmental and motor

delay. She signs , but has yet to develop reasonable reading and/or

writing English skills. As for vocalization she has a passable " Mum "

and " Shut-up " . But she has gained control over her environment by

being able to get her message across, most of the time.

In the final wash-up, the issue of communication is not a life

threatening problem, whereas some other problems may well be; but it

is the one that may well have the greatest effect on the overall

esteem of the child.

Hope this has not sounded too preachy!

Warwick Jackie Talisa 8 CHARGE and Alessi 6.

Melbourne Australia