Sign Language and Visual Communication for People with
Autism
For some people with Autism, verbal communication is extremely hard
or impossible but there is good news...93% of communication is
non-verbal. This non-verbal communication includes body language,
facial expressions and vocal tones.
If your child is non-verbal it does not mean that they do not
understand language, it just means their brain has trouble making
all the necessary connections for speech. To give your child an
opportunity to communicate with you and the rest of the world, try
learning sign language with them. You can attend ASL (American sign
language) classes or pick up a sign language book at the
library. If you are feeling sad that you have never heard your child
say "I love you" because their brain won't help their mouth say the
words, try teaching their hands to say it. Make the sign every time
you say "I love you" he should make the connection after a few uses.
You can create name signs for each person in your family. Name signs are typically just the first letter of a person's name along with a specific motion. For instance, Johnny's name sign is made by drawing a J with your pinky near your chest. Click Here to see the ASL alphabet.
This is the sign for mom This is the sign for dad
This is please This is Thank-You This is your welcome
You can also create a communication board, similar to the visual schedule to facilitate communication. Take pictures of everything important, laminate them and Velcro the backs. You can arrange the pictures according to relevance and have your child point to different pictures to communicate their different needs and wants. Your child could arrange the pictures themselves to tell you a story. Just because they cannot speak does not mean they do not understand what is going on. If you have not seen the CNN documentary Autism is a World, I would highly recommend checking it out of your local library or finding it online, it explores non-verbal communication in great depth.
No comments:
Post a Comment