By PineappleandCheese Statistically, special needs children are a minority in their households and their communities. In turn, whether they are deaf or non-verbal, this means that language access and acquisition does not naturally occur. Families must make a constant effort to provide for their child’s linguistic needs. For some, this is an overbearing task that’s not worth the time or effort. For others, it’s nice but not a priority. For few, it’s everything. Learning a new language is never really easy. Having a child with special needs can pose even more challenges. For many, having a special needs child with additional linguistics needs can be daunting. If you are one of those few who are making a constant effort to provide for the needs of your child. Thank you. Thank you for stepping out of your comfort zone and putting in the hard work that it takes to accomplish such a task. Though the road may be long and hard, the reward will be worth it. Sign language acquisition is important for many reasons. First, for deaf and hard of hearing children, spoken language is not accessible. They may be able to learn to read lips or have enough sound perception to get by. But that’s as far as they will probably get. Just “getting by”. This, in other words, is known as language deprivation and that is not acceptable. For anyone. Unfortunately, however, many deaf and hard of hearing children go through this. Perhaps their families didn’t know they had hearing loss until much later (as it often happens). Perhaps the doctors directly instructed them NOT to learn sign language and emphasize only spoken language. Perhaps they had no one to lean on for advice and were left in the dark or just have no idea where to start. All of these situations occur everyday and is the main reason why we are here. I’m sure you could imagine what the consequences for a hearing child would be if they were neglected and had no language. Unfortunately, deaf children often fly under the radar but with the same results. Studies have shown that language deprivation has been found to result in a myriad of negative effects such as learning disabilities, behavioral issues, mental and emotional issues, and more. In those same studies, sign language acquisition for deaf and hard of hearing children at an early age has been shown to be vital to the development of the young child’s brain. This is why it is all the more important for deaf children to have access to language at home, school, and, really, all walks of life. Not only is it essential for communication but life as well. Second, for a hearing child with additional needs such as autism and/or language difficulties, sign language can be very beneficial. Though they can hear, their expressive language is limited and so creates a one way street. This, I have observed, can lead to a variety of behavioral and other issues such as difficulty in learning. But why sign language? Especially if they can hear. Wouldn’t it make more sense for them to learn spoken language? Yes and no. One of my favorite family vloggers demonstrates this in their video (found below). Similar to the application of deaf and hard of hearing children, because sign language does not require spoken language, it is much easier for non-verbal child to use. It allows them to express their needs and their wants with out it becoming a guessing game of pointing and gesturing (and melt downs). This is something the Maass family of FatheringAutism can attest to and will often mention in their vlogs. In addition to assitive communication devices, the Maass family has implemented a modified sign language communication system for their non-verbal, autistic daughter. Though it is not fully ASL (as it would be the dominant sign language in the United States), their modified system has allowed their daughter to make independent choices and express her opinions and needs. Although sign language is typically more limited to the nuclear family (most people in the outside world do not know sign language) it is probably the most convenient and quickest form of communication (no lugging an iPad around or flipping through pages of pictures). A few things can be said about non-verbal languages and communication systems. First, the need for fluency in sign language will vary from child to child. For a deaf or hard of hearing child, sign language fluency is imperative as it is most likely the only language that they will be able to access. For a non-verbal child, it is a little different as there are many factors that will play a role in deciding what is best for their needs. For example, if the child has limited motor function, a modified expressive sign language system can be used. Or, as mentioned before, how much they will be interacting with people who do or do not know sign language. Other factors such as ability of verbal expression, frequency of language input, and, ultimately, just what works for them. Some children don’t like to use sign language but prefer an assistive device. That is completely okay. If you take anything away from this post, please know that the best option is what is best for your child. If you decide sign language is a good route for your child, great! We support you 100% and would love to come alongside you in your journey. Know that this will not be an easy journey but the rewards are priceless. Also know that this is often an unpopular opinion. Both in the medical and behavioral fields. Because of this, resources can be scarce. However, we are here to help you obtain what you need to help your child succeed. While a list of sites and resources is a whole other post, here are some great places to get started in learning about sign language and acquiring the language. As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us. Learn ASL: LifePrint (free/for adults) SigningTime TreeSchool (free/for children) SigningTime website (free info and videos for purchase)
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