I have really wanted to update Peter's word list, and since we filled out The MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory for our IFSP meeting, it should be easy. But every time I turn around Peter is adding another word! Some in ASL, some spoken, some both! I am so pleased with his progress! And he is starting to put two words together!!! As I saw with my girls, and I predicted Peter would do the same, the phrases are one spoken and one signed word. "More" MUSIC, and "dada" WORK have come out so far, and I can't wait to find out what is next. Peter is really into colors, so I am curious to see if he will use them in a two-word phrase. I have noticed that Peter will start using a word in ASL, then shortly thereafter say it, or try to say it, so I have no problems with him using ASL, since I don't think it is slowing him down any. It just lets him communicate ideas and words before he is ready to pronounce them- like the word ORANGE - he knows it and can sign it, but he is a ways off from saying it. But because I know what he is looking at or wants, I can talk more about the orange train, or the orange light, etc. It seems to work for us.
On a slightly different note, we got the Naida processors- the behind the ear (BTE) CI from Advanced Bionics. They are small and sleek, though still bigger than the hearing aids were. I think they might be lighter, though. Peter sometimes REALLY likes wearing them, and other times not so much. If there is a risk of throwing (and since I don't have any wig tape yet, that is any time he is being a stinker) I just put the Neptunes back on. Or I have the Neptunes already in his pockets, and pop them on as soon as the Naidas are taken off/shaken off/rubbed off. I am hoping the better microphone placement and the multiple microphones in the Naidas make for better hearing and easier hearing. We will see.
Happy Holidays!
