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Kimberly Lauger
1/4/2016 10:03 PM
I knew my son was Deaf at 5 days of age. I also knew he had blind spots in his eyes called colobomas, but he clearly saw something. Not yet knowing about deafblindness and the impact of the combined loss, our focus was on his hearing loss. How were we going to communicate with our son? How were we going to know what he wanted, what he felt, what he thought? How was he going to know us? I couldn't imagine how to do that without language. Feeling it would be easier for us to learn American Sign Language than for Dylan to learn spoken English, we jumped into ASL classes when he was only 3 months old. Desperate to make up for the time he didn't hear our voices in utero, I couldn't wait to share this visual language with Dylan. As time
Now Dylan is 19 and is still what the professionals call an emergent communicator. A person who communicates without formal language. In spite of this, we have a rich, full, meaningful relationship that I would not have thought possible without language all those years ago.
Why? How do we communicate without words? How do we talk about the past, the present, and the future? How does Dylan learn new concepts? How does he express his preference?
As I moderate over the next month, I'll share more of what's worked for Dylan and would love to learn what's worked for you in sharing communication with someone who is an early communicator.
Kim
In lieu of a picture, imagine this, Dylan is sitting next to me in his fancy clothes, a smile on his face, and his hand resting on mine, the wedding guests in the distance, as we co-sign a toast we have co-drawn for his brother and his bride. That is the joy of communicating.
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Looking forward to learning more about Dylan! One reason I love checking out blogs by other parents of DeafBlind kids is appreciating the kids' resilience, personality and creativity (as if they were saying, who cares about the norm?!).
HeatherWithrow - 1/5/2016
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Thanks for the introduction, Kim and the picture with words you asked us to create in our minds!
Amy Parker - 1/4/2016
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The only way I know that he wants something is because he fusses or whines when he's unhappy or uncomfortable, and he smiles, makes noises or calms down when he's happy and comfortable. Does this statement describe your child?
She doesn't come to me to let me know what she wants, but it's easy for me to figure out, because she tries to do things for herself. She knows what she wants, and her behavior shows me what she wants. If she runs out of something to eat, she will just try to get more, rather than trying to get me to give her more.
Does this statement describe your child?
He knows how to get me to do something for him. He uses some of the kinds of behaviors below to communicate:
Does this statement describe your child?
Each question you will see is related to a certain message that your child might be able to express using a variety of behaviors. Read the question and decide whether your child is able to express the message described using any of the listed behaviors. If the answer is YES, then you must also decide whether your child has mastered the use of each behavior or whether it is still at an emerging stage. Check either the mastered or emerging box next to any behaviors your child uses to express the message. Use the following definitions to decide whether a behavior is mastered or emerging
– Does this independently most of the time when the opportunity arises
– Does this in a number of di erent contexts, and with di erent people
– Does this inconsistently
–
Only does this when prompted or encouraged to do so. Only does this in one or two contexts or with one person.
Each question you will see is related to a certain message that your child might be able to express using a variety of behaviors. Read the question and decide whether your child is able to express the message described using any of the listed behaviors. If the answer is YES, then you must also decide whether your child has mastered the use of each behavior or whether it is still at an emerging stage. Check either the mastered or emerging box next to any behaviors your child uses to express the message. Use the following definitions to decide whether a behavior is mastered or emerging
