Signing with non verbal 2 yr old

[MangoMonster]

Just wondered if anyone else has used signing to encourage communication and speech? Especially, wrt ASD.

We've just started and its going well, but would like to hear others experiences and opinions on whether you think it actually helped your dc to become verbal.

Are you using PECS as well? It's easier to prompt.

We've found that ds1 has moved from PECS to PECS plus reference objects, to PECS plus sign plus reference objects, to PECS, plus sign plus reference objects plus google maps and You Tube and hopefully we'll add in the talker soon (once we've raised the money for it).

Initially it's important that they can communicate what they want as easily as possible, and if you haven't already introduced PECS I would - because it gives some control over the environment immediately and easily. In fact ds1 barely uses PECS now, at home at least, he uses the computer and sign and vocalisations, but PECS gave him something easy for him to access when everything else was very difficult. Now he can get quite a bit across so for example last night he communicated that he want to go surfing tomorrow, not to school (ie today) and who he wanted to go surfing with (a specific coach). That was using pointing, a photo on the computer, signing and vocalisations.

I found when ds1 was younger that AAC was talked about in either/or terms - so we seemed to be asked to choose between Makaton and PECS and reference objects were seen as a stage towards PECS (although we went in the other direction) in fact it's really nothing like that, you can use all sorts - but if you're having to teach hand over hand (which is hard!) then I'd use PECS as well -so you give something easy to use right at the beginning. I don't mean drop sign, I mean use PECS as well.

My DS probably woudn't respond to PECS, well not yet anyway, he doesn't really show interest in pictures but only in real objects (or things on TV, which are moving), I am not sure he understands about pictures.

I have decided to go all out to try and get the Makaton going. We have chosen just five signs for now (eat, drink, milk, good and finished) and are going to emphasise them all the time. I want to see if he gets the concept at all. I suspect we will have to be doing this for some time.

I wouldn't limit what your signing, yes no go wait help come here were all really good ones. We use "first then " alot too

I think it also really helps to make sure you have DC's attention (name and as near eye contact as possible) before even starting talking and reducing right down what you're saying (e.g. "get your coat and go to the door" becomes "coat, door"). That last one takes some getting used to cos it seems rude, (especially if your saying "stop, wait, come here" )but it really helped DS.

He doesn't need to understand pictures to use PECS. He just learns that if he passes you a card (initially with anything on it) then he gets access to what he wants. Discrimination comes later (usually pretty quickly, but sometimes you need to use a stage before pictures).

Things like 'eat, drink, good and finished' are very abstract to start with.

You need moondog for advice really, but I would be wary about starting with those unless his receptive language is very good. It took ds1 years before he understood verbs.

Milk would be ok to try and it's an object.

You really want to start with his favourite thing in the whole world.

So we started PECS with chocolate buttons (although like I said the first card probably didn't have buttons on it, that came later), and it's no accident that ds1's first sign was biscuit.

This is true of whatever communication systems you introduce. So last month we introduced the talker, still loads of work using sweets because that's the big motivator. The rest can come later.

Thanks for the advice. Milk IS his favourite thing in the whole world, so that should work. (He doesn't really care about other food or drink too much, is not a good eater at all). I chose finished because he already uses his own signal to tell me this (throws his food on the floor). I chose good because we say that to him a lot to praise him, I suppose! I will take your advice and think of some more concrete ones to focus on in the next week. (There are three of us who look after him at home, me, DH and nanny, and I want us all to be on the same page and be doing the same things over and over, I suppose).

I suppose the problem with getting him to give a card (or to do a sign) to get what he wants is that he never really asks for anything concrete, except milk, which he grabs and shouts for. He would probably starve and dehydrate if we had to wait for him to indicate he wanted food or drink. What he DOES want is: to be buckled into a chair, to be unbuckled from a chair, to climb up the shelving, to stand on the highest thing he can in the room, and to open and close doors (and we spend a lot of time trying to STOP him doing these things!).

No but you don't use PECS like that to begin with. Ds1 would only ask for chocolate buttons when we started, so that's what we worked with. The idea really is to teach the concept of asking for something initially. You worry about expansion afterwards. Initially it just gives some control - 'hey I can get a response a) without shouting and b) by interacting with a person'.

If milk is what he wants then start with milk definitely.

One of the first signs we taught was jump (so ds1 was standing on the playhouse roof, signed jump and was 'jumped' down by his therapist) - he picked that up pretty quickly - although he was about 8 then so had more language. I mean you could use things like open shut, stop go, but I doubt they'd be generalised for a while so 'open' might just mean 'unbuckle me from my chair' rather than open that door for a good long while. 'Jump" to ds1 just meant 'down from the playhouse roof' for a long time.

There is some research out there to say that signing actually helps develop vocalisations, and also a small amount of research that PECS can help develop vocalisations. There is a book by Mary Barbera called 'The Verbal Behavior Approach' which has a section on how to teaching signing to children with ASD and methods to teach vocalisations. There are also lots of other technqiues to help develop vocalisations and functional speech, with research to support them, e.g. Direct reinforcement, stimulus-stimulus pairing, Talk Tools Apraxia kit, extinction to develop control of vocalisations, tactile cueing etc. If you want any more information just let me know, I don't often get time to come on Mumsnet, but will try and make sure I check back!

Thanks so much pleasantspice, I got that book a couple of weeks ago but not had a chance to read it yet, will give it a look! :)

Great mango, the book is a good place to start. I am in Orlando at present as I have just spent last two days presenting a joint speech and language and ABA/VB workshop on how to develop communication and speech with children with autism and related disabilities, so if you need any pointers there is some info available on the web so inbox me.

Thanks pleasantspice. Will read the book, just started the ABA\VB programme with DS, so I'm sure I'll be inboxing you in a couple of weeks. Thanks again!

Hi, I am Deaf and my 6 month old daughter is Deaf. All my family are Deaf and communicate in BSL. I am communicating with my daughter in BSL, she babbles "mamamamama". I know she will pick up words fairly easy through me signing and lipreading to her. It is very important that you introduce your Deaf baby to a world of signing and visuals with lots of facial expressions and she/he will grow into a happy child. Contrary to medical advice, do not listen to audiologists and get a cochlear implant, that is not the solution. Keep an open mind and get advice on everything.

Hi Tina, (asolutely agree with with you re use of BSL ) I don't think the OP's child is Deaf, lots of us use signing alongside speech with our kids who are non verbal due to other issues (ASD or learning disabilites for example). My son is fully hearing but we needed to signs with him for a couple of years, (he is now speaking more than he signs.) due to him being on the autistic spectrum.