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I am new to this board and just wanted to ask opinons
An_221789 posted:
Ok so I have 4 children and I am pregnant with #5. One of my children has down syndrome and at 4 is still non verbal. We use sign language with her as well as our other children. Well in talking with my mom today she brought up the fact that she saw my husband using sign language with our 1 year old and she said that it is ridiculous that he will NEVER talk. She claims a friend of hers only had 12 more credits to go to become a speech pathologist and she says that you should never use sign language with children. Everyone who I have spoken with in reference to my child with down syndrome has said that is a great way to communicate with her so she doesn't get frustrated as well as my 1 year old. My question is now my mother has me second guessing how I am raising my children and that I may be doing something to hurt them. She has made me feel like I am a horrible mother. When I try to defend myself we end up getting into an arguement about it. My 1 year old needs tubes and even the ENT said that it was great that we are using sign language with our children that sign language is a precursor for speech. So what is your take on the whole situation? I feel like a failure as a mother thanks to mine.
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3 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:I am new to this board and just wanted to ask opinonsOk so I have 4 children and I am pregnant with #5. One of my children has down syndrome and at 4 is still non verbal. We use sign language with her as well as our other children. Well in talking with my mom today she brought up the fact that she saw my husband using sign language with our 1 year old and she said that it is ridiculous that he will NEVER talk. She claims a friend of hers only had 12 more credits to go to become a speech pathologist and she says that you should never use sign language with children. Everyone who I have spoken with in reference to my child with down syndrome has said that is a great way to communicate with her so she doesn't get frustrated as well as my 1 year old. My question is now my mother has me second guessing how I am raising my children and that I may be doing something to hurt them. She has made me feel like I am a horrible mother. When I try to defend myself we end up getting into an arguement about it. My 1 year old needs tubes and even the ENT said that it was great that we are using sign language with our children that sign language is a precursor for speech. So what is your take on the whole situation? I feel like a failure as a mother thanks to mine.
Lainey_WebMD_Staff responded:
Hi Anon_7780,
Many children are born with 2 languages spoken in their home and are able to learn both very quickly. I think because your children need to communicate with each other they should know both sign and verbal. If you are looking for a medical opinion please post this discussion on the Parenting Community too.
Many children are born with 2 languages spoken in their home and are able to learn both very quickly. I think because your children need to communicate with each other they should know both sign and verbal. If you are looking for a medical opinion please post this discussion on the Parenting Community too.
Report This| Share this:I am new to this board and just wanted to ask opinonsHi Anon_7780,<br /><br />Many children are born with 2 languages spoken in their home and are able to learn both very quickly. I think because your children need to communicate with each other they should know both sign and verbal. If you are looking for a medical opinion please post this discussion on the <a href="http://exchanges.webmd.com/parenting-exchange">Parenting Community</a> too. <img src="http://img.webmd.com/community/images/smile.gif" align="top" border="0">
RoseLynn02 responded:
I fully agree with what you're doing. I would speak verbally while doing sign Language at the same time to promote the constant usage of both. my children are average children and I have used sign language with both of them since birth. It actually helped them communicate with me with out frustration before they could verbalize their desires while making it easier for them to learn to speak aloud at the same time. My daughters both started speaking at younger ages and have a wider vocabulary than most children there ages, and I feel like its because i verbalized while signing to them. It made them more interested in language from the get go, so to speak. It's actually recommended now, in our modern day society, by plenty of pediatricians and child psychologists and even advised in several parenting books. So tell your mother to bring her out of the overly dramatic fearful world that she was brought up in and to understand that the vast majority of what she was taught is old wives tells with substantial background to them and most of which have been prove false. You're one year old will still speak and most likely better than most.
Report This| Share this:I am new to this board and just wanted to ask opinonsI fully agree with what you're doing. I would speak verbally while doing sign Language at the same time to promote the constant usage of both. my children are average children and I have used sign language with both of them since birth. It actually helped them communicate with me with out frustration before they could verbalize their desires while making it easier for them to learn to speak aloud at the same time. My daughters both started speaking at younger ages and have a wider vocabulary than most children there ages, and I feel like its because i verbalized while signing to them. It made them more interested in language from the get go, so to speak. It's actually recommended now, in our modern day society, by plenty of pediatricians and child psychologists and even advised in several parenting books. So tell your mother to bring her out of the overly dramatic fearful world that she was brought up in and to understand that the vast majority of what she was taught is old wives tells with substantial background to them and most of which have been prove false. You're one year old will still speak and most likely better than most.
FCL responded:
You're doing something that will help your child communicate efficiently without having the frustration of not being able to actually articulate the words. In no way will this hinder speech development. Quite the opposite, in fact. As for your mother's friend whi is apparently goint to be a speech pathologis - hasn't she ever heard of the Makaton method? It's fairly commonly used and is based on the spoken word, signs and images...
Don't let your mother make you feel guilty. I think it's great taht the skills you are learning with your child who has Down Syndrome can be used for the benefit of your youngest child too
Keep up the good work!
Don't let your mother make you feel guilty. I think it's great taht the skills you are learning with your child who has Down Syndrome can be used for the benefit of your youngest child too
Keep up the good work!
Report This| Share this:I am new to this board and just wanted to ask opinonsYou're doing something that will help your child communicate efficiently without having the frustration of not being able to actually articulate the words. In no way will this hinder speech development. Quite the opposite, in fact. As for your mother's friend whi is apparently goint to be a speech pathologis - hasn't she ever heard of the Makaton method? It's fairly commonly used and is based on the spoken word, signs and images... <br /> <br />Don't let your mother make you feel guilty. I think it's great taht the skills you are learning with your child who has Down Syndrome can be used for the benefit of your youngest child too <img src="http://img.webmd.com/community/images/smile.gif" align="top" border="0"> <br /> <br />Keep up the good work!
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