Sunday, 14 November 2010
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Sign Language Focusing on Autism
I am very excited to introduce a guest post for today. Misty is the chief editor of BabySignLanguage.comWhen Jaylen was non verbal at the age of a year we started using some simple signs. As he got older, yet still couldn't communicate verbally, we had to use signing as our only means of communication. Using signs helped reduce the number of massive tantrums he was having several times a day due to his inability to process what we were saying and verbalize his wants and needs. Whether you are new to signing with children, or you have done some in the past, you will find Misty's post informative and convincing. *******************************************************************************************************
One of the most frustrating things about autism is the difficulties around communication. The complexities of spoken language can be problematic for children with autism, leading to frustration for both child and parent. Sign language acts as a bridge for communication that strengthens the development of speech and language. Learning sign language at any age provides lots of benefits for children with autism.
Development Of Speech And Language
While spoken language is still developing, all babies and young children find gestures and symbols easier to understand than speech. Pictures and gestures switch on areas of the brain that are inactive without spoken language. Gestures create ‘visual associations’, which are easier for children with autism to learn and understand. In this way, sign language doesn’t replace speech, but acts as a pathway to its development.
Tantrums And Anxiety
Children with autism sometimes display negative behaviors such as tantrums, anxiety and aggression. In all children, these behaviors are much worse when a child can’t communicate what he needs. Sign language gives children a tool for communication, reducing the frustration that children with autism feel if they can’t express themselves. Sign language reduces frustration-based behavior by removing some of the frustration.
Social Interaction And Sign Language
One of the great things about sign language is that it provides a communication tool for children with autism. This is great for the child but it is also wonderful for the parent. Communication is a two way process, so signing also gives parents a useful tool. Communication is a positive spiral – when a child communicates successfully and feels understood he has the confidence to try again. Confidence in the ability to communicate is essential for good social interactions.
Teaching Sign Language To Children With Autism
Sign language is a wonderful tool for children with autism, and for their families and teachers. There are difficulties, however. Let’s look at some of these and how they can be overcome...
Focus And Attention
Because sign language is primarily a visual type of communication it requires the ability to focus intensely for significant periods. In some cases, children with autism have attention deficits which can prevent sign language from being taught successfully. Even in these situations, sign language can be used as part of a package of communication skills, providing the emphasis is on understanding being signed to, not necessarily signing back.
Isolation
Depending on where in the world you live, sign language may or may not be a well-known form of communication. In some parts of the world, although sign language is beneficial to a child with autism it could isolate him from those who do not know sign language. It’s best to encourage all of those who have regular contact with your child to learn a few important signs, including family, friends and teachers.
Unique Benefits
We know that autism affects each child in a unique way. There is no one right way to proceed when improving communication. The benefits of sign language will be unique to each child. In a few severe cases sign language may not be as helpful as it is to others. It has, however, proved helpful to many families, and must be worth a try.
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- From: mommytotwoboys
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Comments (6)
This is very interesting. Can the baby sign language be carried through to ASL or other sign languages for the deaf or is it just the very simplified version that works? I ask because I know that sign language is processed in a different part of the brain to spoken language and if one doesn't 'work' perhaps the other will.
@SavonDuJour@xanga - Possibly, but the person who is teaching the child to sign should be familiar with the grammar and syntax of ASL and not try to sign the equivalent of spoken English.
ASL has its own grammar that is sometimes difficult to translate to and from spoken English. However, what I have found in my own experience is that the sentences that form in my head often mirror ASL grammar/syntax rather than English grammar/syntax. I have to sort them out before speaking them. Writing is easier because I can see that I've gotten my words out of order and fix it before anyone sees it. Speaking it just sometimes sounds like English is not my first language. I am not fluent in ASL, however the signs that I do know quite often accompany whatever it is I'm trying to say. The cool thing about ASL is that it is communicating with motion as well as a visual thing. I can feel what I'm trying to say.
When using ASL, facial expressions are often exaggerated, making the emotional content of what is being said far more obvious than tone of voice. People who speak often keep their faces very still and tone of voice is not always something people with auditory processing issues are able to interpret. So, a combination of sign and facial expression might help sort out the meaning of the speech and tone.
Interesting answer. It makes me wonder if (some) people - myself included - with the Asperger's disorder might not in fact have auditory processing issues. That would account for the clues of social behaviour that are missed. Not that thinking that would make any difference as its not possible to ask people to please learn ASL in order to communicate with you.
People keeping their faces still and tone of voice steady is a cultural thing. The Italians don't do it at all, Arab and Japanese cultures are deliberately misleading (always wanting to put a positive face on it) and the Norwegians give nothing away! I wonder if in those countries/cultures Asperger's and auditory processing disorders are diagnosed more or less?
@SavonDuJour@xanga - Don't know... I have other ways of "reading" people too though. Trouble with it is I often see the things they are trying to hide, or that they aren't even completely aware of... my aunt calls it hyper-vigilance since my mom was something of a scatterbrained control freak... I had to learn how not to set her off... or how to make her "explode" so that the tension would go away, even if I got hit with the "shrapnel" of the whole ordeal.
I've had to learn to purposefully figure out what the other person WANTS me to see and respond to that. It's a challenge. It also makes some of my responses seem less than genuine.
@keystspf@xanga - I can't read anything about people except who they really are, which isn't much use at all when having a conversation with people. I usually misinterpret/do/say something wrong but I never know what it is. I wish I could figure out what people want me to, not see, but say.
@SavonDuJour@xanga - @keystspf@xanga - I love the conversation you two had with this post! I would never have been able to contribute so well! I wanted to add that my son had difficulty speaking, but like you brought up, some of it wasn't just not being able to talk. Even after teaching him signs it was the "concept" of communication that he didn't get, not just the verbalizing.
And SavonDuJour, have you read Look Me In The Eye, by John Elder Robinson? A lot of what you are saying reminds me of his experiences. He has Asperger's and never knows what he is "supposed" to say.