Frustrated with trying to use makaton...

[laumiere]

DS1 is almost 3 and has no speech, I have been on a Makaton course and since DS2 arrived 4 weeks ago I've been very keen to use Makaton so that both DSes see it as ordinary and valid communication. What I'm finding hard is

1. having two hands free to do the damn signs (eg signing while doing washing up for example as DS1 is very task/activity orientated)

1. getting DS1 to look when I do the signs

1. implementing the advice given by the SALT/portage (such as 'forgetting' DS1's spoon at lunch time). Part of this is because I'm not even sure DS1 knows the difference between a spoon or fork or knife, and part is having to say, get a wriggling, food fussy toddler and BF baby ready in 30 min to take DS1 to nursery and not really having time to go through the 'ooh has mummy forgotten your spoon?' routine. Then I feel like a failure as a parent.

Any help/advice? I should add DS1 does have good concrete understanding, but doesn't really understand abstracts (his only sign is 'brother' for baby brother).

all can say dont give up tookj 18 months for my ds to sign back to me hes 3.8 and nonverbal,and yeah some days s feel like i need extra hand so can sign and juggle kids/clothes buggy etc let alone when hes in bugy facing away from me so means have to stop and look at him.

what about having something he really wants in your hand and see if will copy signor his version of at least biscuit worked well here

have you tried the something special dvds

don't give up, it IS hard at first especially if they won't look at you. Let them see it as a normal thing to be doing so sign alot but not necessarily expecting one back from him.

If he points to things he wants, you could say oh you want a ... and do the sign as you give it to him?

Also as you have your hands full with new baby, there are alot of signs you can do with one hand too -drink, juice, milk, water, food, spoon, cup.

Also, he may not sign back at you. with DS2 it was as if he needed a visual "thing" to help him say the word (i can't make that make any more sense than that sorry!). He is 4 in 2 weeks and very vocal indeed. He still struggles and is still under SALT team but he is doing great at nursery (my main worry speech wise)-even helping a non verbal boy to communicate.

i must point out that i am not a SALT just drawing on my own experience.

Thank god, he loves Something Special (we get it on V Plus)!

Phoenix I may try this, since he's recently developed a bit of a Duplo mania.....

mumof he can say some words, 'Igor' for Igglepiggle, 'drawer' (he likes playing with them) and Gabi-oo (Gabriel, his little brother). He's never gone through the 'Dad' or 'mum' stage. He's very much into objects and visual things too.

just to agree with others.. persevere in whatever fashion you can.

DS5 (GDD ?AUTISM) is 2.10y and has only got the hang of signing bits in the last month - we've been going at Makaton for 18mths so far.

And just when you've lost the will to live with it and feel its going nowhere very very slowly... there will be a tiny glimmer that spurs you on (hopefull), but it will take a while.

Please, please persevere but dont expect anything back, and do the best as the circumstances allow. Thats all you can do IMO, but good luck, im sure he will take in whatever you manage. XXX