Attacking Communication

Ever feel like your waging a war?  I do continually with Possum.  The latest battle front is communication.  Possum had his 12m corrected growth and development review back in January and whilst he did VERY well over all, his communication skills are behind.  He is now 17m old and his hearing and language skills were evaluated as being equivalent to a 10m old.

Possum doesn't have any words.  He can't identify objects if you asks 'Where's the block?'  He doesn't point to things he wants.  He will shake his head if he doesn't want food in the highchair.  He will put his arms up to be picked up.  He has finally started clapping and waving although it's more the realisation that he can actually do the gesture than using it in context.

So we are launching an attack.  I've been using some signs with him for quite a while and he hasn't really responded yet but now we are going to up the ante.  I can see that he is becoming frustrated at times that we have no idea what he wants.  He needs a way to communicate with us.  I'm hoping that with everyone on board with signing he will start signing back soon.

I picked up a book, The Makaton Vocabulary (Auslan Edition) at the library and ordered a couple of DVD's online, Sign Baby and Hands Up and Sing.  Everything is here and we have made a start.  All of the children enjoyed the first couple of run throughs of Hands Up and Sing.  The big kids have each picked up a few signs after only 2 viewings.  Possum however doesn't sit still long enough to see anything LOL.  We will see where it takes us.

We are meeting with a speechie in the next few weeks and i will be interested to see what her 'plan' is.