Sign Language for Me 3.5 Year Old with Speech Delay

My son is also 3.5 and not talking. He is in speech and they recommended some sign language but he also has to attempt to say the word as well as use sign language. I think it helps us to know what he is trying to say so that we can help him. Sometimes the word itself is too jumbled to really know but if I know what the sign is then I can help him sound out the word.
Nicole

L.,
My nephew had significant speech delay at 2.5 years old. The speech therapist incorperated the sign language with his speech therapy sessions. When you sign the word you also should speak it as well. It gives the child the chance to hear it but at the same time have a visual to learn what the word means. As of a month ago with this type of therapy he is talking and we can't get him to stop!! So please give it a try.

Hello! My daughter was a little slow with talking. My sister lives with us and knows sign language and taught my daughter basic commands (more, please, thank you, etc.). It helped wonderfully with her frustration level and gave her communication confidence. I would definitely recommend it!

I don't know ONE Speech Language Pathologist that would not be on board with using sign language to SUPPLEMENT his speech delays and growth. Sign language would not replace his speech unless he was UNABLE to verbalize - and then you'd be giving him a "voice". Sign language is used as a bridge and if it were MY child, I would absolutely use it. I used sign with my 9 month old typically developing child and BOY did it reduce frustrations. She could sign before she could talk, and then she combined it, and faded out sign completely and now she is one of the most well spoken 3 year olds anyone has heard. I get that compliment all the time - people think she's older due to her language abilities. Oh, by the way, I'm a pediatric SLP also. Give sign language a try - just be sure to pair it with speech - and only use simple sign - not complete ASL or anything. Your husband is right on this one. It doesn't mean you have to give up on speech therapy, you use it in conjunction. Signing will not overwhelm your boy. Signing, if anything, will help relieve any frustrations your little boy is having. IS he getting speech therapy through your school district? 3.5 is older than what EI covers.

Sign language can be a part of speech therapy and a very helpful way of letting him communicate. The last thing you want is for him to be frustrated about not being able to express himself so if sign helps all the better. It doesn't deter from learning speech. In fact it may help it along. The therapists often use signs in combination with the word and most kids are kinesthetic learners at that age anyway. They learn and explore the world with their bodies so sign can be considered an extension of that. If he doesn't pick up on it then forget about it, but it's worth a try and it doesn't have to be a big intervention, but just a few words like 'milk', 'play', sleep', etc. Just make the sign, pronounce it as you sign it and then let him have or do what is signed and said. If he makes the sign reward him for doing it by giving him what he signed. It's communication. Don't worry about overwhelming him. Good luck.

Hi L.,
I know it's overwhelming to think of teaching your little one sign language. My daughter had a speach delay and I was against sign language at first because I thought it might be too much and I was also hoping she'd just learn ok with the speech therapy. A wise behaviorist explained that sign language is another tool for your child to use to communicate when the words aren't coming fast enough and he/she is frustrated----it only enhances their learning to talk---it doesn't take anything away from it. My daughter is now 6 and communicating and expressing herself very well----every now and then she'll get overwhelmed or tired and resort to signing----it sure did cut down on the anxiety and frustration she was feeling! Good luck---remember---it only helps---it isn't detrimental in any way.
Kim

He is still young, so ask your husband if he can just give you three more months (or you could say 6 months to your husband) to do the speech therapy, then if it is not helping, you promise you will go with his idea of sign language. This way you will appease your husband, yet get to do the speech therapy, which I agree with you, is probably the best way to go right now. Good luck. Oh, and saying a little prayer for help for your son might help too! :)

It is very common to utilize all forms of communication when there is a delay. My daughter was born with Down Syndrome and experienced speech delays. They taught her some signs to help ease the frustration of not being able to tell people what you want. She did utilize some.

I am confused as to why he is still in EI. I was of the understanding that once a child reached the age of three that EI stopped and the public school took over. I live in Peabody, and I know they have a special needs preschool. It is an inclusive preschool which provides role models within the school setting. I can honestly tell you that my daughter's speech improved when her baby sister started talking.

I don't think sign language will slow down his speaking - there's actually evidence that it can improve speaking. I started sign language with my daughter when she was about 10 months old, and I noticed that when she did start speaking her earliest words were things she already knew how to sign. I'm just starting sign language with my 9-month-old son. I think signing helped us understand her attempts to talk, which then allowed us to help her learn to speak more clearly. Signing also reduced a lot of frustration when she was trying to tell us something she didn't have words for - especially more abstract concepts like hungry and tired. We used the "signing time" DVD series, it's on some PBS stations (not ours, unfortunately) and most libraries have some of the DVDs. You need to watch the videos with your child to learn the signs and so you can recognize their early attempts to sign. Good luck!

hi,the little boy i take care of started to learn a little sign language at 2.5 through early intervention because of a speech delay.mom dad and i learned it also.at the start i thought it may delay his speech but i was wrong.now a year on he is talking in sentences,he has a lot more work to do but the difference in a year is amazing.i do believe the sign language helped him a lot.it also really helped him to communicate with us.hope this helps.

I have to agree with your husband. It has to be frustrating for your son to not be able to communicate as well as he'd like. There's a TON of info online about the benefits of sign language for children of all ages and abilities. Even autistic children can use it to communicate when they aren't capable of regular speech. I have seen several of the sign language programs out there, but the best one seems to be Signing Time. It incorporates sign, verbal language and written language. The woman who started the company has a deaf daughter who stars in all of the videos with her little cousin, Alex. All of the signs are done in groups and set to music and songs. It's VERY well done. Good luck!

Hello,
I read some of the responses and agree, wholeheartedly, that sign language is a good thing. (Check out Signing-dvd/vhs- by Joseph Garcia from the library.. you'll learn some easy signs to get you started & he does a great job in explaining the benefits).

We taught our daughter it when she was an infant, and I believe it was a huge benefit to her as well as those who learned a few simple signs.

Learning how to form sounds is so complicated. Since your child can already successfully move their hands, why not cap on that success? It will help you, your family, and those involved in teaching SPOKEN language an easier time in knowing what your child wants.
Example: My daughter (very loudly) asked for a "dukie". Now, probably the most common word that stands for is feces. (GROSS!) but because she was ALSO signing.. I knew she meant "cookie". So, I was able to help her on her pronunciation. There was no frustration in figuring out what she wanted...

What is the bottom line- why let the speech delay become a language delay? The language is already there, you'll just provide the tool to let it flow while he learns how to manipulate the muscles to make the correct combination of sounds.
Best wishes!

There's no reason not to both, is there? Sign language would not/should not replace verbal language therapy, in my opinion, but augment it.

Best of luck to you.

I would learn some signs and use them consistently with the words (ex. Rubbing right open palm over left chest/shoulder area and saying please correlates the word with the sign). You can take a basic American Sign Langauge course almost anywhere. this is the best way to integrate Sign into everyday life. It works and children eventually use the words with the signs.

As a one time Communications major (before I stupidly changed to Political Science...why???), a long time nanny, and mom of a 24 mo old, I strongly recommend your sign language instinct. Too many ways to communicate is not the problem--only too few.

There are kids books that teach basic signs--my daughter has several board books like "Baby Signs Foods" etc that teach basic words--to mommy and to baby. You can always teach a few few signs and decide it's not for you/him and stop.

Learning words as spacial representations instead of just sounds, has been shown to increase oral acquisition. I wouldn't implement a full on sign language training just yet, but it can't hurt to learn a few signs and see if he takes to it.

My very vocal toddler still frequently signs when she doesn't think we "get" her quickly enough (this morning when I didn't respond immediately when she informed me she wanted breakfast, she climbed into my lap actively saying and signing "eat" together. Many studies have shown the negative effects of not being able to communicate (increased frustration being only the beginning) so I think you are doing the right thing by giving your son all the tools available to express himself. I would be happy to discuss further with you if you wish so please feel free to drop me a line. Good luck.

I agree that sign language would be a good idea to teach your son while he is learning to improve his verbal communication. A really fabulous DVD/video that teaches signs is called "Signing Time". You can probably find copies at the library. If you watch it with your son, you will quickly learn how to do the signs right along with him.
Best Wishes.

Hi L.!
Sign language is a great option even for kids who can speak perfectly. I have taught my son (1yr) the basics and also work in a day care center that promotes the same thing. I dont think it would hurt his speech therapy if he learned how to sign and say things if he did both at the same time it might open him up to expressing himself easier. But I do agree that you dont want to overwhelm him-learning the english language is hard enough trying to add another thing on top! I hope everything works out-Good Luck

Actually, most speech therapists will use sign language to help teach language to children with speech delays. My oldest daughter (now 9) was in early intervention at the age of 17 months and they started out teaching her sign language. It helped her to see that there is a way to communicate what she wants and get it faster than mommy and daddy trying to play a guessing game based on her cries or grunts. She hasn't used the sign language now in at least 7 years. She talks perfectly now and has been out of speech since she was in Kindergarten. She is now in 4th grade and when I tell people that didn't know she had a delay they have no clue. So really it's a tool which can help both you and your child. I'd talk to his ST about it though and see what they have to say about it.

M.

Hi L.,

I'm the mother of a 3 1/2 month old and I'm also a speech/language pathologist. Many people are concerned that using sign language will replace verbal language. However, sign language is really great way to facilitate language. Sign language is a functional and purposeful way of communicating. It can help decrease frustrations by giving your son a way to have his needs met. It's important to pair the sign w/ words so that your son is hearing and seeing both. We use signs alot w/ infants...in finger songs and play...and they are often able to sign something (i.e. bye-bye) before they say it. I think the communication board is a great idea too but giving your child every way to communicate, whether through pictures, signs and words, is very important for continued progress. Good luck!

you can go to the library and get the sesame street sign language book. It is all in pictures and it is great. I think the basic signs will help you and your child to figure out what he is asking for. The speech therapist will also be doing some sign with him, i.e. "more", "all-done" , "stop", "drink" and so on. I think infants should be taught this at an early age also. I knew of an 8 month old that knew some signs and was able to tell his mom that he was thirsty and wanted a drink by signing "more, drink". He is now 5 and has no problem with speech but, it is another way to communicate with the child, and not to ever not use his words. He can sign and say the word at the same time. Once, he is on a roll you can start backing off in the signs. I hope this helps you.

J.

signing will definately help with the basics and frustration. Go to www.americansignlanguage.com and they have a section where you can put in a certain word and it will show you the sign.. drink, eat, thank you, were ones I used.. it's also a great way to communicate with your child from across the room without having to say a word! Good luck.. and you can tell your husband that no, using signs does not slow down speaking.

I taught my daughter sign language from birth because I have always had a slight hearing problem since childhood and knew it would help us communicate before she spoke. It doesn't prolong or overwhelm anything. They are sponges and soak it all up without even knowing it. Now she can talk early and sign, too. It's great. Just sign as you speak/write (maybe start with important words/phrases) and he'll start picking up the small stuff in a few months. It's amazing!!

Hi L. G.
I am a speech therapist, mother of 9 month old and currently work in the medical setting but have previously worked in early intervention and the schools.

I would urge you to consult with the speech therapist working with your son - the therapist should be a wealth of knowledge regarding what will and will not facilitate your son's langauge and speech development.

Generally speaking the more "input" including sign langauge or gestures paired with words provided to your son the more opportunity he has to make the language connection. So yes, sign language won't prevent speech/language development only enhance it. Often times a child is able to understand language better then express himself - in this case, the child may be able to produce the sign (expressing himself) and this may reduce his frustrations. Over time the child can learn the word and use the word vs. sign but in the meantime having a way to communicate is important.

L. G.

You want to be consistent with what your speech therapist suggests. If she is not on board with the sign language approach it will be difficult to get your son to carry over. My oldest daughter caught on to sign language at a very early age, but never had speech issues. My younger daughter was delayed in speech and because of the language retrieval issues she has, even sign language wouldn't work for her (she has difficulty finding the words she wants to say whether it be by sign or speech). We abandoned all attempts at sign language with her when we found it was going to be just as frustrating for her. I wanted the focus to be teaching her to talk not to sign. We used the communication board for mealtime which seemed to be the most frustrating time, but encouraged her speech the rest of the time. Good luck!

I just want to add after reading some other responses that the goal is to reduce frustration. If sign language helps make him less frustrated than do it. But for my daughter with her language issues on top of her speech issues it was WAY more frustrating to be learning both. My older daughter (typically developing) picked right up on it, but when you have severe language issues (my younger daughter) it isn't so easy. I am a pediatric OT and work with many speech therapists and was cautioned by more than one about doing sign language with her once it was realized what her issues were. You have to do what is right for your son of course. If his issues are merely articulation than sign language should not be difficult for him.

Teaching your son sign language would be very helpful for him to get across his needs and will help to be less frustrated. Children often develope their own type of sign language as babies to try to communicate their needs. They've done studies with babies being taught sign language develope better language skills faster. If it is going to help him express himself and help him get his needs across go for it. I used to babysit a little boy that was being taught sl while working on his speech development and it helped him alot to cross that bridge and he was able to ask for things instead of just getting mad and frustrated because no one understood him.

Hi L., My daughter received early intervention and was extremely delayed with speech. We taught her sign language very early on. My husband was against it thinking that it would delay her speech more. My daughter was pretty fluent in sign at a very early age. My opinion and the opinion of many other therapists is that if you do not give the child a way to communicate, the child will get extremely frustrated not being able to tell you what he/she wants. They begin to act out because they can not communicate with you. My daughter used signs for everything from "eat", "drink", "play", "blocks" . She really learned a lot of different signs and it was so easy to communicate with her and she was a happy baby. Because she used sign I really think that helped her speech flurish. She is going to be 4 in December and her speech is coming along much better. She is more easily understandable. We do not use sign with her anymore, but I will tell you, it was the best thing we did for her. We used the sign word with the verbal word together. There is a Baby Einstein DVD with signs. Also, there are many books with simple signs. I highly recommend teaching him, he will only benefit from it. Good Luck!

the sign language will only help him. It will help get jis needs met. He will be able to communicate better and be less frustrated. Has his hearing been checked? could there be fluid in his ears? That will keep him form talking. See an ENT if you haven't already. I know someone with a 3 year old who got tubes in his ears and in days he was litterally talking up a storm.

If your son is progressing, I don't think your hubby is so much worried about the speech never kicking in. I think he is more worried about your son. In a lot of day care centers they begin some sign language when the children are fairly young. This way, they can ask for things that they want or need before their language skills develop. This may be where your hubby is coming from. I would talk with him and see why he is interested in it. It is usually best to start with a couple of new signs as he seems to be getting the hang of it. This helps to keep them from getting overwhelmed. We used to start with more and milk first as those would be what they would associate with the easiest. Best of luck!

This is a hard one. I think the speech therapists would be the expert on this question. You don't want your son getting used to signing and not using verbal communication, but on the other hand you don't want him to be frustrated either. I know that my son was saying book all the time and then one day I taught him to sign book and he doesn't say it anymore he just uses the sign for book. He is still really young and just repeating works right now. I have stopped teaching him sign language because I found that he would stop saying the words when he learned the sign. I'll probably teach him more sign language in a few years but now we are just going to focus on verbal communication because he isn't frustrated.
Everyone's circumstances are different and I have only heard great things about teaching kids signing. Good luck with your choice but I think the experts would know best since they work with kids all the time with speech delays.

Hi L...I would like to say right off that I have no expertise in answering your question . I can only relate from my own experiences.
I had two ( of my seven ) children that had problems with speech.
One was a girl, I was in the hospital for a prolonged period of time, the children were being "juggled" between my Mum, my husband's Mum, and my husband who took them home every night.
The little girl had a very bad ear infection that no one knew about, nor was it treated for a long , long time, just as she was learning to speak and sounds were "locked" into her brain in a distorted manner which caused speech problems.
The other was a little boy who suffered a linear skull fracture with massive hematoma when he was six months old. It damaged his speech center.
They both knew people were talking with/at them, but they did not understand what was said. For them it was like being with people speaking an unknown foreign language. The girl, of course came out of it better than the boy.
With him, especially when he was tired, was great difficulty understanding. One thing I did was to put my hands on his shoulders, look him in the eye and gain his complete focus, speak slowly and ennunciate ..this seemed to help greatly. He still has language problems, brilliant boy, they never could accurately estimate his IQ because of his language difficulties but guessed well within the highly superior range. He is 34, still has problems reading but has his own business and does well.
Now, by virtue of being disabled and old, I find myself living with three sons , one of whom has a wife and son. ( Want to interject that I DO NOT SPOIL this child..maybe indulge him a wee bit LOL)
When he was four months old and fussing for things, drinks, food , whatever...I thought to teach him a bit of sign language..he is a bright and clever little boy. I taught him simple signs, drink, milk, food, mum , dad, hot cold, stop , go, tired, play, ect ect. His mom then bought him a baby einstein first signs video. So, the fussing stopped because he could now communicate his wishes. By the time he was six months old he had a "vocabulary" of about sixty signs.
Many people thought it would deter his speech and were very critical..some offensively so. I was a bit apprehensive that they were right.
It turns out they were not right. He will be three on Sunday and he has an extensive spoken vocabulary. It seems the ability to communicate with his sign language gave him a boost of some sort with spoken language. He is a quite a bit ahead of other children his age with his speech.
I did not think of sign language with my own children until they were around eight or ten and it seemed to help them as well as this little boy who has nothing amiss.
In my opinion it is very frustrating for a small child NOT to be able to communicate with others. The sign language gives them a vehicle to express themselves and lessens their stress.
With the two of mine that had actual difficulties it was a great help to them to learn spoken language .
With my grandson , who has nothing wrong, it gave him an advantage to learn spoken language.
My advice would be to try it. Use the words with the signs. I think this is very important as your ultimate goal is the spoken words.
If you dont like how it progresses you can always stop.
BUT if you never try, you will never know if or how much it could help your little boy.
As far as his "delayed" progress please remember that when an average is determined there are also high and lows.
His developement in certain areas may be a bit slow appearing now but he could easily catch up in a couple years.
Dont let him be branded by medicaleese ( how is that for a made up word?)
I had one so severely learning disabled, dislexic ect ect..at five his IQ test was given, he scored between 80 and 200. Keep in mind and IQ is ONLY the size of the bucket that can be filled. A big empty bucket is not to be desired above a smaller filled one.
I was told this boy would never be able even to mainstream in school due to his learning disabilities. I found a way he could learn and taught him , and his speech defective brother, to read.
His junior year of high school he received a letter of commendation from the superintendent, principal and school board and faculty for maintaining honor level grades throughout his high school years.
Kahlil Gibran said that we are limited only by the limits of our imaginations and I really clung to that.
Everyone can learn..one just needs to find the path that a particular child can navigate.
Again, please try the sign language, it may truly be a blessing to you and your little boy.
Please email me if you like.
Wishing you all the best/
God bless
Grandmother Lowell

With a speech delay, your son's biggest frustration will be not being able to express himself or what he needs/wants. It's wonderful that you are getting the services he needs and that he is making such nice progress. A total communication approach is often what is recommended for kids with a delay in speech. This means using any and all of the tools available, including sign language. I work with children with a variety of disabilities, and while I am a physical therapist, over the past 20 years I've seen so many kids who have learned sign only to have it boost their verbal production, the same is true with the picture schedule/communication board. Because they are all forms of communication, and being able to tell someone what you want or need is so rewarding, kids on a total communication system typically show faster progress. So, don't be afraid of sign, it is a tool that can only help your son. If you use sign with him, pair it with the verbal equivalent as you use it. I bet you'll find he's trying to say it as well as sign it after a very short time. Good luck!

Sign language is a wonderful way to supplement spoken language in children with delays. It can greatly reduce frustration in both the parents/caregivers and the child, to be able to communicate needs/wants when the spoken word fails. There have been studies that 'typical' children can learn sign language before spoken word develops, and as the oral language comes, the sign language will fade away. I am a mother of a child with Down syndrome, and I can attest to this phenomenon.

Contact me anytime! Maybe try a Google search, or the speech therapist should also be a good resource.

Good luck! A.