"babbling" in makaton ?

[misscutandstick]

My second post this morning is going to be slightly more positive!

Im really proud of DS5 he started signing the odd word at the end of june after almost a year of seeing sign, and now we have very occasional 2word sentences like "train + gone" and "car + broken". But very recently hes started 'babbling' in sign, much like a baby would with words.

He kinda waves his hands and fingers a bit and then sticks in a real word. He also just chucks all the signs together that he knows - not in any real conversation/communication sense, more of a quick runthrough of what he knows.

Is this a step forward? im hoping so.

phoenix: he has delays in most areas, cognitively about 12-18mths, communication 2yrs, fine and gross motor skills 18mths. Hes still in nappies and not even near understanding let alone training. Hes the loveliest cheeky chappy tho, a bundle of fun and giggles, with a wicked sense of humour. .

Moondog: ive got the SALT assistant coming tomorrow (ive not managed to disuade her - shes nice enough, but she tends to ramble at him aimlessly, with little direction in 'therapy', anyhoo) might have a general chat and find out what the other SALTs thoughts of makaton/signing are. After all, if neither of them actually do much signing, then whats the point in changing? another thought possibly is write to their manager with requests that they do more signing, sending anything makaton might have to influence decisions, instead?

Its actually the thought that all my hard work (and his of course!) with the signing, that it will be destroyed if he goes to nursery and they dont respond to his requests or signs and then he stops using it! that is spurring me on to fight for statementing - having a makaton course put in for his teachers and supports. The teachers do use a little makaton, but im not sure that they use it all that much, perhaps they would with DS5 as they know thats all he has?

After all, if neither of them actually do much signing, then whats the point in changing? another thought possibly is write to their manager with requests that they do more signing, sending anything makaton might have to influence decisions, instead?

Its actually the thought that all my hard work (and his of course!) with the signing, that it will be destroyed if he goes to nursery and they dont respond to his requests or signs and then he stops using it! that is spurring me on to fight for statementing - having a makaton course put in for his teachers and supports. The teachers do use a little makaton, but im not sure that they use it all that much, perhaps they would with DS5 as they know thats all he has?

Exactly.
Stick to your guns Miss, you are doing the best thing for him. Yes, get Makaton on board to help you and when you get a statement, specify Makaton training for staff (amount, level of course, leave nothing to chance)

You would be amazed at how few people do sign, esp. the so called SN teaching staff.

the playschool ds is at have used him to their advantage and so far 2 have been on courses funded by the pre school alliance and recently they have started teaching all the other children to sign and even have signs of the weeks now for, the other kids , the idea being that to encourage ds to communicate with them as he was signing far more at home than nursery

have you had chance to meet talk with nursery staff?

Moondog

I will be making sure its in ds statement think the main quibble will be over salt hrs etc what is genreally considered a fair amount for a non verbal child that being what we would consider fair not the Lea

Impossible to say Phoenix.
What matters most is that the peopel who deal with him on a day to day basis are trained to understand and respond to his needs.
Generally this would include Makaton training, PECS training (ideally) ABA train ing, an ELKLAN/Hanen/Earlybird course.

Bigggest issue is getting this right.

I would ask to see school's communication policy (if there wasn't one I would be alarmed.)

Have a chat with the SALT, ask what she would suggest in an ideal world and then go for that.
Makaton charity should be able to help you work out what cours(es) asssistants need to go on.

Golden rules are

SPECIFY
QUANTIFY

Havent had the meeting yet, about his needs. Havent had a chance to chat with the teachers/supports yet either - just seen them in action, a lot!

Portage is going in Wed, and teacher will bring up DS5 and get some dates together for when we can discuss his needs. The teacher also had quite a big change of viewpoint today , before she has been saying that funding will be available, but DS5 willneed a couple of weeks in nursery before they will know for sure what they need to fund for him... fast forward a month and today she was quite serious and said how important it was to organise his funding in time for september for him; when was i coming in to chat about his needs and; how we need to discuss transition for him, and what i think would work best, and discuss options in the meeting about his needs.

I did rather wonder what paperwork she must have had to have had such a change of heart, from "it'll be fine" to "we need to organise, get funding allocated, and talk needs and transition" wierd - but im pleased shes taking it all very seriously. And there was distinct dates by which she wanted things done, and how and by who .

I have made myself a small target for tomorrow (amongst the other million things to do ) to print AND post the very first letter asking for statutory assessment...

Oooh and before i go, quick PMM - DS5 was picking at his tea, and not looking too impressed with baby potatoes and GF fishfingers. He pushed it aside and signed 'strawberries'!!! YAY! ... did he get them? oh hell yeh!

go your ds lol I can remeber whenDs first started asking for things he got a lot of what he asked for to

Any luck they had ep reports in and some ones finally twigged that they need help

Mind now he keeps asking for icecream and I`m now a mean mum and sign no he then signs back yes lol arguing in signs so normal to disagree with a child but so funny same time that he can disagree with me

go your ds lol I can remeber whenDs first started asking for things he got a lot of what he asked for to

Any luck they had ep reports in and some ones finally twigged that they need help

Mind now he keeps asking for icecream and I`m now a mean mum and sign no he then signs back yes lol arguing in signs so normal to disagree with a child but so funny same time that he can disagree with me