ASL moments

Today was our last Playgroup at the School for the Deaf for the school year. While we are there Peter watches a lot, but doesn't really engage others in conversations, well, except for MORE CRACKER ;). So I am going out of my way to give him all this ASL input- is he getting anything out of it?

At the end of Playgroup we had time to take part in another research study, this one by ASL BabyLab, which tracked eye movements to judge response to ASL. Two pictures were shown on a tv screen, then a signer in the video asked about one of the items using only sign, and a video camera mounted above the tv tracked where Peter looked. I could also tell where he was looking, as he was sitting my lap.  I am proud to say he pretty much nailed every one! AND he even learned the sign for DOLL, which I didn't know (so didn't use) and he figured it out by process of elimination the first time he saw it, and was quick to identify it the next times he saw it. Peter was a rock star, and got a red t-shirt proclaiming him a Jr. Scientist for his efforts :)

While Peter and I were in the video booth Sam even got into the ASL mood by asking to watch the Signed Stories app (so great BTW) with the spoken narration turned off! I was a bit surprised the ASL BabyLab guy had never seen the app before, but he was quite impressed with Samantha :)

Then it was some errands and home for an attempted nap. The nap never happened, but this cute interaction did. Peter started in ASL, then when I turned on the camera, it was mostly me signing, and Peter talking, though he does use some signs in the video, too:

Lab Rat

Today we took part in a science experiment! I am not sure exactly what kind of results they are looking for, but it was run by a neurolinguistic lab out of one of our state universities. They did three separate experiments, all designed for CIkids who sign, too. The first one was auditory- Peter had CI's on, and watched a silent video, and they played some (loud) random noises. Peter had a little cap on with electrodes touching his scalp, and they recorded brain response to the noises. Peter just sat in my lap, and was completely unfazed, though I could tell the first loud noises were a bit startling. The second experiment he still had the cap on, but no CI's, and he watched a video (of a funny claymation penguin) with some random peripheral vision things once in a while. The last  exercise was just a language (sign) survey- so no cap, and CI's were back on. One of the researchers would show a page with two pictures, sign one and ask which picture it was (in sign). Peter did so well! He didn't know the signs we don't use (like CANDY) and there were a couple where he liked one picture and was excited to touch it regardless of the question, but he got a huge majority right- and I have never done that kind of game/test with him at home in sign.

The whole thing, including picking a prize (toy tractor for Peter, $20 Target card for me) took less than an hour, and afterward we went to the playground for a little bit. It was beautiful and sunny, and a fun start to Peter's birthday weekend!

100th Post! And it is a special one!

Yesterday I thought I was going to have a really rough afternoon, as Peter had only napped for a few minutes. But he was Ok. And while we were chatting, he suddenly said:

I was pretty excited! I got both a sign and spoken word, when I wasn't even sure he had signed mom before!! So happy!

Infographic I thought was neat- ASL

I liked this, but remember- I am Swizerland, so even if I personally like ASL, I don't think everyone NEEDS to learn it. I hope with all the fun YouTube ASL music videos more people WANT to learn it :). I think it would be interesting to see if using more finger spelling and signs in the lower grades of regular schools would help kinesthetic learners, as well as visual learners, but I don't have a soapbox for the issue ;)

iPad Apps We Use

Here is a list of the Apps I am currently using with Peter:

Speech-related:
SoundTouch (pairs real pictures with real sound clips)
MusicOBaby (interactive instruments on the iPad screen)
Musical Hands (easy to play colored screen for sound awareness)
The Farm (easy farmyard games with animal sounds)
Bugs & Bubbles (right now we are only using the colored-bubble popping part, but it's good for practicing "bubble" and "pop"!  My girls like the other parts of the app)

Monkey Preschool is not used by Peter, but he is VERY interested when Samantha plays it. I swear I heard him say "mmmm" when she turned it on last time!

Fine motor:
DoodleBuddy (free, and great for finger painting with no mess!)

Sign Language:
The Baobab (a beautifully illustrated written and signed story)
Signed Stories (a whole library of ASL-interpreted and read-aloud stories. Peter loves "Five Speckled Frogs". I have fun taking the ASL quizzes based on each story :))
Not used as much:
SignShine (signed, but not illustrated nursery songs)
Baby ASL (good for my girls to practice on)


I am always looking for more fun, smart apps. If you have any you love, let me know!

Animal fun

A couple videos to show what we have been working on. We are giving everything a sound, and labeling sounds. One example is saying "walk, walk, walk" when moving a toy. We have used the phrase at home with animals, and in speech therapy with Mr. Potato Head. And here is what happened:

And farm animals are always fun, and we have so many versions of them-Little People, vintage Fisher Price, puzzles, books, puppets, etc. so it is easy to expose Peter to lots of repetition of the same sounds in different ways. The following video has times where Peter isn't saying anything, but I kept the wait time to show a little about how much I have to model and how long I have to wait. Any signs in the video are spontaneous.

Rhyme and rhythm in ASL

Peter and I went to the CSD ASL workshop/ Playgroup today, and it was a blast.  I loved learning about some of the rules to ASL poetry and how ASL nursery rhymes can be constructed. I am starting to recognize more and more signs, but I was also reminded of how much I need to practice my receptive finger spelling!
The ASL workshop was taught by a new teacher at CSD, who was recruited from Massachusetts. She signs a lot of music videos, and her talk on bringing rhythm, repetion and physical rhyme into ASL for young kids was really nicely done. She quoted a statistic that hearing kids who had 8 nursery rhymes memorized by age four were much more likely to become skilled readers. The foundation of rhythm and auditory memory helps with literacy. ASL rhymes can help the same way for kids who can't hear. They build up the memory pathways and strengthen the language foundation.
How is a rhyme made in ASL? I am sure I didn't grasp everything, but there are different ways to express it- using the same hand shape in different ways (like the clawed hand for bear ears, chubby cheeks, and a chubby belly) or choosing words that use the same handshap and repeating them (like the open palm used for SCHOOL, HERE, HELLO, C'MON that was woven into a welcome back to school poem).
The talk was getting really interesting when Peter decided he was done sitting still and wanted to go play- and that I had to come, too. I hope they post the video on YouTube!

The boy who signed wolf

Lately our life is all about speech therapy....but it isn't just about speech. The goals of the sessions encompass listening, thinking, and social aspects in addition to speech. Cognition demonstrated by Peter on Tuesday for his therapist at the school when he saw a Little People pay house. He rang the pink doorbell, and there was a noise. She opened the house, and Peter immediately found all the pink objects and pushed them to make noises.

Cognition and audition were demonstrated tonight.....Tonight I was in Peter's room getting Peter clothes for tomorrow and he looked around, saw a picture we hadn't really talked much about, and signed WOLF. Yes! It was a picture of a wolf, five of them! Cool, but that just shows he is observant, and know what a wolf looks like (the app called SoundTouch has several wolf pictures we look at). But the cool thing? I was in our bedroom with my husband and Peter, telling Chris about Peter signing WOLF downstairs. Peter looked up, signed WOLF, and then bent his head around to point out the picture of a wolf in our bedroom! He understood at least some of what we said, and made the connection between all the different wolves! I am very proud of my little guy :)

Just a little bit awesome

Something just happened that made me so happy I had to make note!  I was drying my hair, and my deaf son came to tell me he heard the phone ringing! I couldn't hear anything over the hair dryer, and I look up to see Peter coming over with that "I need to tell you something look" and he was signing PHONE.  Sure enough, I turned off the hair dryer, and a neighbor was starting to leave a message on our answering machine.
I am so happy that
 a) he heard it
b) he knew what the sound was
c) he knew the sign
d) he knew I usually respond to the phone and he needed to tell me

Thanks to that, the girls get to go on a play date instead of to the grocery store. They owe their brother ;)

Happy Friday :)

Recovery well under way!

Here we are, six days post-op, and Peter is 90% back to himself. He still has steri-strips over the incision, and he is a little more cranky than usual, but not much. He also has a new molar poking out, and two more close behind, which may be more the cause of the crankiness than the surgery. For the most part he is just doing his job (his title around here is Rascal). Two weeks to activation!

More videos, showing progress in speech AND signing :)
First, bunny fun (I apologize in advance for the singing)

Next, the Stair Climber as speech therapy ;)

And finally, a little safari vacation ;)

Thanks for watching!

Video check-in

I just wanted to post a couple videos that I think show how much Peter is gaining in terms of sound, and language. I am so proud of my little guy! Not even 3 months post-activation, and he has so many new sounds!


Also, he is signing up a storm!

For myself I need to post a list of signs he knows, but not tonight! Maybe something to do in the hospital during CI Surgery #2, in two days! (Aaack)

Fun "Speech Therapy"

Friday we went to a local park for a picnic with friends. It was a regular fun outing, but then we went on the little train they had there....and Peter LOVED it! We had watched them hitch up the engine, and listened for the whistle while we were in line, but it was once we were seated, and we started to move that Peter's eyes got huge with excitement :). I pointed to the engine and signed TRAIN, and said "whoo, whoo". Peter was laughing with the wind in his hair, and by the middle of the ride he was signing train (with just his pointer, but he was moving it in the right way) and saying "ooo, ooo". So fantastic, especially since I couldn't get him o say "ooo" at home ;).

I am working on a couple videos to post showing speech so far, and to document progress with one CI. After surgery this Wednesday and activation in three weeks we will get to work with two ears!  I am excited to see what Peter will do with two CIs, though I am not excited to go through surgery again. At least we know better what to expect.

MOMMY, finally!

   

Last night Peter finally signed MOMMY!  It was a hand wiggle with his thumb on the side of his chin, but he was looking at a picture of me :D. He has sort of made signs for Sydney and Samantha, and DADDY and GRANDMA, and BABY, so we are slowly getting all the family members. I still rated after DOG, CAT, and FISH, though! He even signed GRASS  last Friday before he signed MOMMY. I hope he says "mama" before those other words to make up for it!

DADDY

Peter's sign for his Daddy is also the sign for DONKEY

Coincidence?

I heard from another mom who went to a CI conference that the professionals were recommending not introducing any new signs after a child gets an implant, at least until spoken language is established. IF I wanted to stick hard and fast to those guidelines I could still talk to Peter when his CIs are off, BUT only because I exposed Peter to so many signs that even if I don't teach him any new ones, he has hundreds that we could still use!. One small study touting benefits of early signing showed CI kids with deaf parents did better learning spoken language than CI kids with hearing parents- the assumption being that the signing from birth gave them early access to language, which ported over to spoken language. This study is pretty old, before the FDA lowered the implant age guidelines, and it doesn't have any hearing parents who signed. Another old (1996) study showed that continued development in sign did not have a negative effect on spoken language, and possibly had a positive effect. The authors of the study also point out that people who posit that signing is detrimental tend to be monolingual, where most of the world is bi-, or multi-lingual, and that they develop just fine!  I keep this information in the back of mind when I feel pressure to drop signing.  I also know that signing is not for every family- we had a head start because I had used it with my girls. People who have late diagnosed kids, or whose children lose their hearing suddenly may not even have time to think about learning sign before their child has CI's and they are focusing on talking talking talking! And if the FDA lowers the age guidelines to 9 months for CI surgery then there will be even less time to focus on sign- but that doesn't mean it wouldn't help....

But what is the magic formula?  Several studies seem to show that CI Children in Oral programs speak and understand spoken language better than CI Children in Total Communication programs.  Is it that TC is not the best of both worlds, and immersion in each separately would be more beneficial? Where are those studies? What would I even look for?  I suppose it doesn't really matter right now, as I already knew I wanted to do an oral school at this point, but still use sign. We have times like bedtime, where we read some stories aloud, with some signs on the book, then take off the CI and have a 100% signed story or two. Peter seems pretty happy with that arrangement :)

Some traction and new SHOES

After my entry about trying to get the ball rolling I got lots of things almost checked off the list :)

1) I went to a play date at the new Early Start group. I was part of a dedicated hearing loss group, so having several other parents (all hearing) with children with hearing aids or cochlear implants was a different experience (as compared to Santa Cruz County, where no other kids with hearing loss were at the play dates).  Everyone was nice, and the woman I met with said she thought from here on out Peter should get two weekly home visits starting that last week in August. I forgot to give her the massive packet of paperwork, but at least all the forms are filled out ;). The one bummer: the play groups are on Fridays, so I will have to choose between CSD (the School for the Deaf) and the Early Start get together. It is unfortunate the two big programs don't have different days, and at least some days where they welcome each others families. Sharing information, and having access to both environments woud be so beneficial to kids with hearing loss (in my mind). Also, building a bridge between the ASL and spoken English programs would help families see that there are lots of options out there, and find what combination works best for their child. Something else to work on in my spare time ;)

2) my meeting with the Oral School was pushed out until next Tuesday. I can't say it was a total surprise, more like par for the course. If this wasn't the only program of its kind for the youngest kids I think they would have to run a much tighter ship. Bleah!

3) I signed Samantha up for a preschool that meets Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays!  I visited and LOVED the environment, and the teacher was so open and friendly and happy! Such a change from the last preschool teacher I worked with! And the way the schedule works means that no matter what days JWPOSD (the Oral School) recommends, I will have at least one day a week when I can drive the carpool (there are at least two other mountain families there) or maybe even work if I get baby care for Peter. My mom offered to do most of the work shifts, though, so I will just be doing the monthly meetings and committee work as my part of the cooperative preschool.  I got most of that paperwork done, and just need to send in the check.

4) got the re-enrollment packet for Sydney filled out. There was a ton of paperwork! And I can't turn it back in until she gets a TB test.  Since we officially "left" the county to go to school last year (even though we were at home, or in Los Gatos for classes) they require the TB teats to come back. Luckily I need a TB test, as does Samantha for the preschool, and Peter still hadn't done his 12-month well-baby visit, so all of that is Wednesday. So #4 is almost done, too.

5) The second surgery is scheduled! August 7th. So Peter will have two ears starting August 27th, which is also the day JWPOSD starts. So happy!! I still need to arrange kid care and all that for surgery day, since my mother-in-law isn't around, but several people have offered help. I am soooo thankful for all my awesome friends that have helped me out by watching my girls when I have appointments for Peter.

6) Vacation. I am not saying no with a capital N, but I don't think it's gonna happen. Looking at the calendar, with Pre-Op and Dr. Visits, the surgery, post-op, and THREE different start dates for schools I don't see a good time.

So we have traction. We are moving forward! And on Friday, at the Early Start parking lot I said to Peter, "let's get your shoes". I reached for them, and he signed SHOES for the first time!  My boy is so smart!

A few new things

First, a new tooth! Just shy of 14 months Peter got his fifth tooth, a lower left incisor. It wasn't even one I expected, so my tooth predictions are at an all-time low :/

Second, a sign for UMBRELLA.  Peter signs it by bumping the backs of his fists together a couple times.  But he is consistent, and usually looking at an umbrella when doing it, so I know that is what he means. We went to a kiddy zoo with some deaf friends and their deaf babies, and one mom whose baby is just a year old, asked if Peter was signing yet.  I replied, lots! Her little guy is still just soaking it up, but not signing yet. While I know Peter does not get nearly the amount of fluent ASL her son is getting, I was so proud that I could talk about all the signs he already uses!

Third, the "mmm" sound!

After Peter ate some baby food he was playing with the clear plastic lid. I kissed it, mashing my lips into it and said "mmmmmmwah!"  Peter thought it was hilarious, so I did it more, and look at him go! I will gladly make a fool of myself for results like this!

The Top Ten ASL Signs for a Newborn I Wish I Had Known

When we came home from the hospital with Peter I knew he had something going on with his hearing. He had gotten "Refer, Refer" on several of the newborn hearing screenings. Basically he failed the hearing tests, but they don't like to say FAIL! We had appointments for further tests, but we didn't get a lot of information at that point. I did know that even if the problem was "fluid in the ears" or a "late maturing auditory nerve" and would eventually be resolved, that couldn't hear me at that point.  I wanted to communicate from the start in a way that was accessible to my baby.

I had used sign with my hearing daughters starting at a few months old, so I knew some signs, but many were not useful at all for a brand new baby with limited daily activities.  I had to look up some signs below, and they are the ones I with I had gotten in a pamphlet right after that first failed screening. At that point I didn't want to learn about the top 100 signs for parents. I didn't need to know LION or BALL. I needed something simple. Those first few weeks were overwhelming enough, without having to dig through the web for the ASL words I could use so often with my baby. I also wish I had gotten something that talked about using sign at first EVEN IF the oral route is preferred, and something that talked about ASL without an anti-CI bias (and CI's without an anti-ASL bias!). 

A friend just posted an an article about early language access, and that got me thinking about my (fantasy) project to design a brochure for REFER,REFER folks. Anyone have any other suggestions about what 10 signs a hearing parent might want to know? I chose these because they could be mixed and matched to say so many things about a newborn's day, you can do them leaning over t he changing table so the baby can see them, and they are an easy entry into signing. Also, with CLOTHES being close to GET DRESSED, i felt this group had even more possible combinations. But I am no expert.  My ASL grammar is non-existent. Hopefully someone who is fluent can take what I felt I needed, and massage it ;)

And now that Peter has his CI? I am still signing.  I am always talking, too, but being able to "chat" when his CI's are off, or knowing what he is thinking about, so I can talk about it...priceless! He just learned the sign for LION ( he just sort of rubs the side of his head) and I can tell he loves his stuffed lion, because he signs to it/ about it a lot! I talked about the lion's (and Peter's) eyes and ears today since he was focused on it and excited about it :)

Receptive Language?

Two cute things that made me so hopeful- first, every speech therapist wants us to get Peter to imitate us, but he hadn't for so long. Then the "magic microphone" was suggested. This is where you use one of those spinning LED toys, and pretend it's voice activated. I was skeptical, but willing to try it. When we first tried it I said "ahhh" and lit the toy up while my voice was on, then I passed it to Peter- nothing. Then I demo'd it, then Sydney, then Samantha. After several silent turns Peter finally stated saying "ahhh" also!!  For anyone who has a normal hearing child this may seem really trivial to get excited about, but since my little guy had no way to hear himself before getting his cochlear implant,  now that he is starting to mimic sounds it shows that the technology is helping him!

The second thing happened today. At gymnastics I asked "where is Sydney?" I did not use sign, as I had Peter and other things in my arms. Peter held up two fingers and his thumb to his face and then pointed to where Sydney was sitting behind some other girls.  Those two fingers and thumb? It was the sign for BUG (Sydney's nickname, and the sign we use for her).

 Maybe he heard and understood me? Lately he has also been looking for and signing CAT when I say "Hello, kitty!", but he is so aware that he could spot the cat before me, so I am never sure if it is my voice and words, or the sight of the cat he is reacting to. But I am starting to think he might recognize the words!! And that new sound "kghghg", it could be a hissing, like my girls do when they play cat, or maybe he is starting to try to say kitty. All very exciting for me :)
ASL for cat pictured below, but Peter just uses his pointer finger and flicks it on his cheek.

The Butterfly Effect?

Yesterday my girls found a huge black and yellow (dead) butterfly. I think the cats had gotten it, but it was still mostly in one piece. It was beautiful, and we talked about it, and signed BUTTERFLY.  Peter was really interested and signed butterfly back! He didn't cross his hands like the adult version:

But he put his hands together at the knuckles and wiggled his fingers on both hands at the same time! It was adorable :). Later, and maybe this was just a coincidence, we were looking up the hill, no longer staring at the butterfly, and I said "butterfly", and Peter signed it!!  It would be amazing if he recognized the spoken word already, and that is probably too much to expect :/. I will keep signing, because if Peter can show us what he is hearing with signs I think that is pretty cool :).

New Signs

Just a quick update on new signs (more for me than anything else ;)
Hot
Sleeping
Ball
More

I am taking a free ASL class at a local church. It is taught by a woman who is deaf/hard of hearing.  She grew up speaking, and didn't have hearing aids because her family didn't have the money to buy them. She has a hearing aid now, but still prefers to go without and lip read. She can hear tones, and she has a beautiful singing voice. Talking to her you wouldn't know she was deaf.

Today was the first class, and it was a great cross-section of my community. Middle schoolers, young adults, moms, grand parents. And everyone was so willing to just jump in!  I knew most signs used today (idid learn FROM) but it was great to practice :)

New Signs and Sounds!

Today I was getting out my bag of toys I have reserved for "Learning to Listen" playtime, and I got out an airplane. I said "ahhhhhh, airplane" and made the sign for plane. Peter signed it back! Granted, it was a baby version, with just an index finger instead of thumb, index, and pinky all extended.

But the intent was very clear, and he repeated it several times while holding or looking at the toy, and then again outside looking at a real plane!  So I spent a lot of time, spread out throughout the afternoon saying" ahhhh", and Peter did say it at one point, while walking with the toy plane. It could be a total coincidence, but it seemed like the sound was a little different than the noises he usually makes. He is a very vocal little guy, but usually he his more of an "oooh" er than an "ahhh"er. 

He is also signing ALL DONE, MILK, and he sort of signed STAR, but that last one was just pointing at them in a book, copying me, so I don't really count it.  I am not a voice-off ASL user at this point, so all my signs are accompanied by me talking, and I respond to Peter's signs with both hand and voice. I used ASL to reinforce words in the French classes I was teaching, too. I am probably screwing myself up to ever be really fluent in sign, but I hope Peter gets a lot of good vocabulary that he can build on in both signed and spoken language. 

Peter also starting making kissing noises today! I would give him a kis when he did it, so he kept going :)

Tomorrow we meet with the speech therapist our insurance covers. She sort of specializes in CI clients, but I also heard she is a little old school about sign. I guess I will know for sure after our meeting!