How can I encourage DS to communicate? Hearing issues

[pyjamapyjama]

My son has always been really prone to ear infections, roughly 9 a year. I noticed that he'd learn a load of words and then forget them when he had an infection. I don't always take him to the docs when he has an infection because they don't want to give him antibiotics incase he gets immune (understandable) but last summer he was left untreated and his eardrum burst. So he was referred to ENT and had a hearing test in Nov 18, which was normal, nurse agreed she thought it was temporary hearing loss from the infections.

He's had another hearing test in Feb, that was slightly worse than the first, yesterday was his consultation at the hospital. They repeated the hearing test and it was quite poor. Consultant said he has glue ear and swollen adenoids, so basically a load of gunk in his ears and can't breathe very well at night (hence why he snores like a grown man)

Anyway, was glad when the consultant said he wanted to do surgery as I'd researched it myself. But here's the snag - it's a year's waiting list (at least). Looked at private, they won't do kids under 3 and closest that will is in Newcastle, we're in Glasgow.

Does anyone have any tips for how to get him to communicate with me more deeply than he is just now whilst we're waiting for surgery. At the moment he is saying "da" and pointing at things or leading my hand to what he wants. I'm thinking about makaton/sign language but no clue where to start so any advice would be much appreciated!!

Thank you in advance & thanks for reading so long

Should probably add he was 2 in January.

Did they tell you at the hospital that you can join the National Deaf Children's Society if he's been diagnosed with Glue Ear? They should be able to offer some support.

Has he been referred to Speech & Language Therapy too?

Jilted no I didn't know that! I will look into it today. No he hasn't, he's under the care of peadiatrician too as there were concerns it would be autism if it wasn't his ears. They said there wouldn't be any point refering him to speech & language at the moment because everything they'd suggest we do, we're already doing with him but that they'd revisit once he's 2 and a half.

It sounds like you've had some really good advice already.

If you are thinking of doing Makaton, the Something Special DVDs are a good place to start or you could go on a training course.

It might be worth considering doing a BSL course though

Ds had major glue ear from the age of 10 weeks onwards. He had infections roughly every 10-14 days until he had grommets in at 20 months.

He lip read. I didn't do anything, but he liked to be carried around (ear near mouth) and would pat my cheek to turn my face so he could lip read. I only realised he was lip reading when ENT pointed it out.

I did a bit of signing with him, but never a lot.
What I did do is bend down to his level and look him full in the face to get his attention. I speak carefully and slowly. Also patting his shoulder/hand to keep his concentration on me.
Short sentences to get the meaning across are often better and encouraging him to speak.
So if he says "car" you reply with "yes, fast car". That builds his vocabulary up as well as reinforcing the word for him.