Sign Language and Autism

My DS was diagnosed with PDD NOS at 22 months old in Dec. We have been receiving services ever since. He's been doing very well and now I've noticed a standstill.

Ever since it was suggested to use sign language (more like we come up with easy signs that symbolize what he wants rather than the correct "word" sign) as part of his sessions, I've noticed that DS uses all signs for all things. When he wants something he "scrolls" through all the signs instead of using the appropriate sign for what he wants. I'm wondering if these signs are just confusing him and hindering his speech progression. He would say some words sporatically before all of this, but now, he uses the signs (sometimes appropriately but most times just doing them to get what he wants but not the right sign) and doesn't try to say anything.

Should I insist the signing stop being taught and work on his verbals? Or is this normal when they first learn signs and eventually evolve into the words?

Advice?
thanks :)

Re: Sign Language and Autism

Our EI rep. from the county tried to convince me that sign language ALWAYS comes before verbal language, and that the child needs to master copying signs before they can become verbal.

So I did some research myself, and found that there are two schools of thought, and that the other is that the sign language hinders verbal language since it is forcing children to become reliant on a non-verbal language, therefore lessening their need for verbal communication. So I requested that our therapists and services focus on verbal speech. Our county rep. (who I hate) told me I was wrong, but I feel strongly that I know what is best for DS....So, I say go with your gut! And if you switch it up for a while, you don't have anything to lose!

Re: Sign Language and Autism

If your child is "scrolling" his therapists need to handle that correctly (as well the family). You have to stop his scrolling at the moment he is doing it, "pause" and then ask him for the appropriate sign or do 'hand over hand" for the appropriate sign. Do not give in to the scrolling. But...on the same thought...the fact that your son is "scrolling" shows that he is interested in communicating, that he knows that if he "does something" he "gets something". My dd was scrolling a lot, in fact signing wasn't even such a great mode of communication because she has motor planning issues. However, some of the words she says now is "give me" and "more" which are some of the signs she was taught. Even "Hi" since "waving" is a sign.

The verbals need to be worked on along with the signs. However, chances are your son may have strong visual abilities and hopefully the team is working on pictures (pecs) or at least matching pictures. Also intraverbals should be part of the programs. (songs etc)

But just like PP said, go with your gut. I also knew that my dd was ready for much more 'verbal' language. I knew she was actually speaking even though the words were hard to decipher. My dd is apraxic. It also forces the therapists to be accountable for "listening" to those sometimes approximations they may otherwise miss.

Re: Sign Language and Autism

DSs speech therapist taught him a few signs at the beginning, he was around the same age as your DC then. The few he learned were very empowering, words like "more," "no more," eating to show he wanted food. Maybe a couple more, but I don't remember which ones. She worked on spoken words with him also, and he did start using the spoken words pretty quickly--her thought was that it might motivate him to speak if he saw that communicating through signs got him things he wanted. For us it worked, but I could understand that a child might rely on it too much too.

Go with your gut. If you think this isn't good for DS, ask that they phase it out.

Re: Sign Language and Autism

You and the therapists can NOT reinforce scrolling. Scrolling happens with any modality of communication - speech, sign, or PECS - and it will continue unless it is blocked and redirected appropriately.

A child scrolls because they know they will get to whatever that word is eventually. They will know because the person they are communicating with will let them know by delivering the desired item. When this happens they never learn to communicate correctly, and independently.

Instead of scrolling, stop him, present the item, model and hand over hand prompt the correct word, then reinforce. Fade the prompts when he is showing that he can do it correctly indepently.

When scrolling gets reinforced too long, it is very hard to unteach!

FM me if you have more questions on this - I would be more than happy to help!!!

Re: Sign Language and Autism

Thanks everyone for your advice and stories.

I have spoken to the EI team and have requested to stop introducing new signs as of now and make sure DS is using the signs he does know appropriately. I also have redirected the scrolling and making sure he looks me in the eye ..thinks for a second and properly requests what he wants.

We'll see how this goes. Hopefully it will be less confusing and more motiviating when he understands that these signs actually mean something specific rather than just an action to receive what he wants.