Wednesday, November 19, 2008

incommunicato?

I've been working on using sign language with Diego for a few months now and I think he's really getting the hang of it. But for some reason he'll just pick one sign and that will be his catch-all sign for everything and anything. Yesterday's sign was "Eat." He wanted the door open, "eat? eat?" He dropped his sippy cup, "eat!" He handed me a book to read, "eat-eat-eat." Today's sign? Please.

But it all makes me think-what if we hadn't started sign language? Would he be talking now? He understands what we're saying, for the most part. But he hardly ever says "mama" or "dada" or, well, anything. And in comes the Mommy Guilt to make me think that I obviously haven't talked to him enough and that's why he doesn't talk and he won't start talking until he's 5 and his social skills will take a beating and kids will make fun of him and then he'll have to be an emo kid when he's older because of all the angst. Oh, the angst.

7 comments:

Court D said...

oh good grief you didn't talk till you were two but that was because you spoke English and Spanish, he'll be fine. i think you should teach him english, spanish, french, mandarin and sign. then when he talks when he's five, it will be like ha! you can't speak five languages!

Court D said...

oh and come get your award yo

elisa said...

I found out I didn't really talk until almost 3. See? I USED to be quiet. ha!

Maria Rose said...

I have heard that children who sign speak sooner, so maybe you've given him a head start.

ShallowGal said...

OK, I have 3 kids so it's like I ran my own little scientific study at home.

Kid #1: No sign, started talking at 8 mo. Now 10 1/2. Never shuts up. Ever.

Kid #2: Started sign at a year, didn't say a word until 3 after 5K worth of speech therapy. Now 8. Never shuts up. Ever.

Kid #3: Started sign at 6 mo. Fluent at sign and talking in full sentences by 8 mo. Now 3 3/4. Never shuts up. Ever.

Scientific conclusion: They all talk eventually. A lot.

Hope that helped !
xoxo, SG

elisa said...

@ Shallow Gal-

hahahaha Thanks! I know I shouldn't worry and he'll be talking more than I want him to one day. But it's nice to hear from someone who has been through the worry and can see the light/noise on the other side.

elisa said...

@ Maria Rose-Gracious I hope the signing helps. And I think it does. He's communicating the only way he knows how, and that's a start.