Teaching 21 Month Old Sign Language

Hi D.,
I'm sorry to hear about your son's hearing loss, and you are definitely on the right track with seeking out services for him. Keep on top of regional center. They can be a great assistance for services, but sometimes really need to be prodded.

As for teaching sign language, I found the best way to do it was to simply start demonstrating the sign for the object every time I gave it to my daughter. I started her at 6 months when I got her (I'm a soon to be adoptive parent) and for me, I only focused on the necessities such as milk, water, food, and more to begin with. Because of his age, and his potential on-going need for assistance in expressing himself, you might also think about adding the words: help, please, thank you, and other things you see him needing daily. There's a great basic sign book which I think is called the Joy of Signing, and also introductory videos. I would encourage you to really start with the words that you need him to know in order to reduce his frustration.

For example when you give him milk, sign milk as you hand it to him, and then sign it a few more times. Be sure to respond when he begins to sign back (with a big smile,etc.). Once he begins to have the ability to express himself his screaming should be reduced. Also you can spend time with him just playing and showing him different signs for things. As frustrating as it is for you, it's equally or more frustrating for him not to be able to be understood. Also, don't worry if he changes the sign at first. As long as the two of you understand each other, that's good. However, if you think he's going to need to sign on-going, you might want to continue to show him the correct sign to encourage his ability to communicate with others as he gets older. I'm sure there are sign classes and those who would assist in teaching, but you can ask about those services through regional or your insurance perhaps.

I hope this helps and good luck. Also make sure to get some support for youself. I'm a single mom, too, of foster/adoptive kids and they have some additional needs too, so you want to take care of yourself!
M.

Hi D.,

I'm sorry about your son's hearing loss in his right ear. It must be really tough, especially with two kids and being a "single" parent right now. I hope things work out for you and things get better soon! I also have a friend in Wisconsin who has a 22 month-old with speech delays. She has been signing with him for many months; he only says four words, but he can sign quite a lot!

I am actually an independent certified instructor through a company called Baby Signs Inc. (The founders of the company are the original doctors who started the baby sign language movement with their Nat'l Institutes of Health funded research.) I teach Parent Workshops and play classes for babies 6-24 months. You can check out my website at www.TalkingBabyHands.com for information about my classes. If you happen to live in Anaheim, I'm in the fall community services brochure and will be teaching classes through the city starting next month. I can give you more details if you are interested, or you can check out my calendar page on my website for dates. I will also be teaching a Parent Workshop at Santiago Canyon College in October. Even if you don't live in Anaheim, you can still take a class if you're interested; if you click on the date of the class on my site, it links you to the city's registration. (I offer private classes, too.)

I have also taught my son to sign. He is currently 22 months and has been signing since about 12 months. He knows about 200 signs. In fact, signing has helped his language development so much that he is now speaking sentences and starting to drop his signs. (Signing really helps speech development, as your speech therapist might have told you.)

Whatever you decide to do, signing is very helpful with ANY baby/toddler. They scream and have tantrums because THEY are frustrated that they can't communicate with us and we can't understand them. So signing really helps decrease frustration for everyone. To get started immediately, go to your local library and check out some baby sign language books (there are many of them). They might also have some DVDs there. If you want to know more about Baby Signs, Inc., the founders of the company have written a best-selling book called Baby Signs: How to Talk to Your Baby Before He Can Talk.

Good luck with your ENT appt. I really hope everything works out for you. I wish you strength in your journey. :o)

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Y. Greenwald
(Currently a SAHM after 14 years of teaching; married for 9 years; have two boys, ages 22 months and 5.5 years.)

Try the library. The one near my house has books and videos on how to teach your baby sign. That should get you started until you can start a class or therapy.

Teaching your child sign language is a great help no matter who you are. As he grows and can communicate better you may feel pressured to not have him sign so that he focuses on talking. Don't do it. Keep teaching him sign language. It is always a help, plus think of it as making him bilingual. It is a talent that will benefit him even if it just to help him with his language skills.
Plus interpreters who sign are greatly in need especially those who can empathize and understand even partial hearing loss.

Hi D.. We bought the Signing Time dvd's for our girls who both started watching these videos at age of 9 months. Both no know basic sign language. In fact, both were signing before they knew how to speak out their thoughts. They would watch it in the morning and whenever we're in car rides, etc. Check out signingtime.com. The founder of these videos started them because her daughter lost her hearing as a toddler. Good luck.

D., I am not sure, as the stor has changed, if I was born with no hearing in my right ear or if it was a misp\happ before I was 3...but no one ever taught me to sign.
My father had a hearing
loss and went to the House Ear clinic in LA....they did wonders for him. I the past 15-18 yrs I have gone there, learned so much and been helped so much.
Book for ASL...we still use it....good luck.

This is a perfect time to teach sign language. Babies as young as 8 mos can sign. There are books on baby sign -- start there. When you teach sign, begin w/ signs for nouns -- especially food and things your 2 yr old wants. There are also kids videos about learning to sign -- check w/ local library to see if they have them --- you could also see what is available on line. I imagine the ENT will fit him for a hearing aid as well. Even is his hearing issues resolve, it is awesome to teach him sign -- he could become fluent and work as an interpreter.

Should it become necessary for you to put him in daycare -- if you need to work, there are some daycares that know sign.

You may want to try flash cards as well -- you can print the word and show a picture of it -- he can point to what he wants -- you can involve your 4 yr old w/ this too and she may learn to READ or at least be better w/ letter recognition (it is never too early) -- use paint safe tape and tape words up on things ie WINDOW on the window, DOOR on the door.

Since you caught this early, he will have plenty of time to catch up. There is a high probability he will be successful in Kinder by the time he gets there. Also, note when he turns 3 he will likely age out of Regional Center and you need to turn to your local school district and get speech therapy and even free preschool from them.

Good luck with this.

Good for you! I haven't taken any classes but I did check out all the books at the library and then decided to buy one that had some strategies and like 300 signs in a dictionary... the library also has some videos. I suggest just using the regular ASL signs, that way you'll recognize it when others do it and you're learning an actual language. just do it before, during, and after each thing. All the books suggest "more" "food" and "milk" as the first sign. I started around 6 months with my daughter but didn't see her do any until almost a year. She is almost 14 months now and signs about 7 things (so cute when her dad gets home and she signs "daddy" and whispers "dada" -which is the only word she can actually say. Just today she signed "bath" for the first time. I'm sure since your son is a little older you will see results sooner. good luck!

I have a 8 yr old son w/ hearing loss. he has medically induced profound high frequency loss. (that is whole story that has nothing to do w/ your question) there is a great resource in LA. or course the name escapes me. It was started by Gregory Peck (or some other Hollywood old timer) His son was deaf. We don't sign, and neither does my son. he wears aids. I wonder who your ENT is. My whole family LOVES Barretto. A couple things, you will probably be referred to providence speech and language. personally, I hate that place. but, you need to form your own opinion. Hearing aids are expensive. you will get special services through your school district once regional center stops (age 3). And you need to push for those services. I was also able to get my city put up a "deaf child near" sign on my street. Your son will learn to speak. and depending on his loss may be eligible fpr s acochlear implant. Within the deaf community that is controversial. So is my son not knowing sign. Whatever. i have enough to deal with. Good luck, if you have questions feel free to contact me!

C.

ps---it's the John Tracy clinic (spencer tracy...) and there is also the House Ear institute. Both in LA. I know I have been able to call the spencer clinic and ask random questions. I have never been to either of them. But, they are both very reputable. House also has a family camp. and that could be great for meeting other families of hearing impared children.

there are some sites where you can print free sign language sight words, numbers, and/or body parts. My son has Autism, so these were a great help! More- put fingers together like you have something in fingers, bring together, fingers touching. Cookie- 1 hand flat, other hand like holding door knob, turn back and forth. Drink- like holding invisible cup, pull to lips. Try anything free!

Hi D.,

We took the Baby Signs class offered by Gymboree and really enjoyed the time spent with our son. The Baby Signs program is a series of six classes; parents get a comprehensive manual that is easy to read and includes two DVD discs. At each class you learn new signs that revolve around a particular subject (people, pets, etc.) and there are bubbles and songs to sing and our son really enjoyed interacting with other toddlers his own age. The signs used are based on the ASL format but simplified for babies and parents alike. You are even given a really cute little backpack for your child that includes baby sign books and flash cards. And we were thrilled when our son actually started signing to communicate; he used the signs for "thank you", "please", "more", "all done", "bath", "mommy" and "daddy". Now that he is speaking regularly, he doesn't use the signs as often; he will use them when he really wants to emphasize a word (like puh-leeeeeeeeze). You should look into it; it gives you a chance to be around other parents and your child a chance to play with other children and it's fun. Good luck!!

Y.