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Original poster

signing for hearing babies a proud mum

32 replies

popsycal · 30/11/2003 20:00

after reading a thread afew weeks ago about signing for hearing babies, i realised that ds already had a few signs for several things...so i have tried to invent some more for him
And he is doing just brilliant....he says quite afew words, but mainly me and dh only knows what he means but he now has LOADS of signs in just about a week and can have a proper conversation....earlier today he asked for more juice followed by tweenies then got cross when it was the wrong tweenies vid and asked for the one with 'two fat gentlemen' on!!!!
am sooo proud (and very sad no doubt!)
wish i had known about signing when he was way younger and had bougth the book...
next time....

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Original poster
popsycal · 30/11/2003 20:03

ps ds is 16 months

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maomao · 30/11/2003 20:05

I was just about to ask you that! Congrats! You must be very excited. Has he started making up signs of his own, too?

mottie · 30/11/2003 20:09

Ive heard about signing but am worried that it may hold back their verbal development.

Jimjams · 30/11/2003 20:15

popsycal- I'd recommend the makaton dave video- both my boys love it. It's handy for doing cow signs to dh when his mother starts as well

fio2 · 02/12/2003 14:31

lol jimjams I save that one for the sil! My kids love the dave video too

Original poster
popsycal · 02/12/2003 14:34

ds has got a sign for tweenies - basically started out as the actions for 'two fat gentlemen' which is on the tweenies video but now it means any tweenie thing - even his milo 'doll thing'
what is this viideo#?

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fio2 · 02/12/2003 14:39

you can get it from amazon. It is a makaton resource. Type makaton in the search thing at amazon and it usually comes up. It is called Makaton nursery rhymes with dave Benson Phillips.

My kids are a bit obsessed with Dave now though....

Original poster
popsycal · 02/12/2003 14:41

checked - it is out of stock!

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ThomCat · 02/12/2003 14:43

Lottie makes up her own signs as well as using all the signs I've taught her - it's so funny. She does one in partiucular and does it so seriously and with such passion - I'd love to know what it means The cutest sign by far is when she sees a dog. I love it SO much. She always barks to accompany the sign. That and when she asks/signs for more - ugghhh, makes me melt.

Original poster
popsycal · 02/12/2003 14:44

'more' is the first one that we did
ds uses it 'all' the time...am beginning to wonder whether it actually means biscuit tho.....as that is what he is generally asking for!!!!!

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fio2 · 02/12/2003 14:45

my dd does one that I dont understand and she gets reall peed off with me for not knowing what she means! I think they look so sweet when they sign

fio2 · 02/12/2003 14:46

more means milk, drink, biscuit, chocolate....

StressyHead · 02/12/2003 14:49

message withdrawn

Original poster
popsycal · 02/12/2003 14:49

just a quick question....some mentioned does it affect their speech?
any thoughts?
my initial thoughts are that it would support it.....make words that they physically cna;t vocalise be understood and so aiding communication and higher level thinking...or is that just the psychologist side to me coming out>?

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StressyHead · 02/12/2003 14:49

message withdrawn

Original poster
popsycal · 02/12/2003 14:53

i think i need some punctuation in my last sentence
that is the second time i have infered that i was coming out on mumsnet today!

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Jimjams · 02/12/2003 16:14

DS2 has just come bearing Dave Fio2- he is now happily watching it. He loves it! DS1 is too annoyed with the washing machine (seems to be shouting at it- I think its bcuase it keeps stopping).

ThomCat · 02/12/2003 16:32

Absolutley popsycal. It is a bridge to the spoken world. It helps with frustration at not being understood and the visual makes it more fun to learn new words. Rather than me just 'barking' words at Lottie, I'll show her a piture in a book then say the word while signing it to her. It's been proven that child with DS learn much better when they have visual stimulation. I think this must be true of all kids though really - especially early on in their lives. It's great. She says the word too, not always and not every word, not clearly either but with the help of Makaton we can have conversations and that makes me an incredibly happy mummy.
As Fio says seeing a liitle tot signing is just SO cute as well. It melts the hearts of everyone when she signs and I can't get enough of it. I'm always very careful to say the word clearly to her, and repeat it when i'm signing so she doesn't drop the word and only sign to me.

Oh I wish I could show you an m-peg of her signing 'dog'. Can you try and picture her little shoulders hunching up and her hands coming up, as though she was mimiking a dog begging and then she always gives a little 'woof woof' as well. And rabbit - rabbit is cute and oh - this will get silly - they are all lovely and cute when she does them!

Original poster
popsycal · 02/12/2003 16:52

we just had a whoe 5 mins of ds asking for more raisins but saying narna - his generic term for food
when finished he did the no more sign then clappped cos he was soo ploeased
i cried

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maomao · 02/12/2003 16:56

popsycal and mottie,
Regarding signing as an aid to furthering communication, take a look at this

bobsmum · 02/12/2003 17:04

Last night, I made a list out of curiosity of all the words ds can actually say consistently. He's got 47 words (not all perfect, but reasonably understandable) at 14.5 months. Having been signing with him since 7 months, I would say it's helped him to "bridge" like Thomcat said between the object and the spoken word.

My best friend's a speech therapist and she's really supportive. As long as you always use the word with the sign then signing with hearing babies/toddlers acts like an underlining of the word or a gesture. If we were all to speak with our hands behind our backs it would be a little unnatural to say the least - we all use signs and gestures when we talk; with signing they're just a little clearer IMO.

Joseph Garcia in his book suggests that you can 'overload' babies with too many signs which is a load of moo poo. That's like saying you can overload a baby with too many words. He also says you should use the signs without words occasionally which is also not advised by SALT type people.

All the research I've come across seems to suggest that babies who are encouraged to sign pick up verbal skills earlier and with more confidence. Linda Acredolo (sp?) has a lot to say on speech delay in her book "Babysigns".

Well done Popsycal jnr!

Thomcat - next meet up - ds and Lottie could witter away in makaton and we could just leave them to it

bobsmum · 02/12/2003 17:08

Having just said all that about Joseph Garcia, he has a streaming video of babies signing which I posted on another thread, but it's sooooo cute you must watch it NOW.

signing babies

fio2 · 02/12/2003 17:12

jimjams I have a lovely mental picture of your house now

Original poster
popsycal · 02/12/2003 18:06

bobsmum am crying at cuteness of that streaming
have had an awful day and it just made me realise afew importnat things
cheers!

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melsy · 02/12/2003 18:22

I just think thia is the most amazing thing ever. I cant wait to speak to my little DD, I think it will be fabulous for her. Popsycal , do u wnat to come and teach her for me, I am not sure how good I will be. Does it take a lot of persistence?? Or do they pick it up quickly?? She is only 11 weeks WHEN CAN I START!!!!!!