update on frankie

The Deaf are surprisingly more aware than hearies can comprehend.

If someone said that to me I'd whack them and tell them to get it together.
 
It's tough seeing other "special needs" kids look so much more normal than yours. I understand completely. While I'm crazy for my own son, there are too many days where I wish he could feed himself/walk better/tell me what he feels. But he can't. His hearing is fine, BTW.

It took me a couple of years before I realized that wasn't going to be a fix. Nothing could be done to give us the magic to make him catch up and be normal like the children everyone else seems to have so easily.

Next time put on your best sarcastic/incredulous face and tell the dolts "Oh my god - you're absolutely right! I'm going to tell the doctors to call you from now on... since you know it all."

That aught to shut their gobs. ;)
 
mbrek said:
It's tough seeing other "special needs" kids look so much more normal than yours. I understand completely. While I'm crazy for my own son, there are too many days where I wish he could feed himself/walk better/tell me what he feels. But he can't. His hearing is fine, BTW.

It took me a couple of years before I realized that wasn't going to be a fix. Nothing could be done to give us the magic to make him catch up and be normal like the children everyone else seems to have so easily.
Click to expand...

Its great you get it many dont.
 
The Christmas party sounds like fun!

Have you been signing much with/around him? Is he not currently enrolled in school?
 
we are still trying to show him signs and he is completely oblivious..even the director at the deaf preschool said there is no way he is ready to learn any of that yet..he went for a day but he had a rough four hours..he couldnt eat because they only have meal times at a specific time, and he takes forever to drink his bottle..and he wasnt really able to play with the other kids because he simply doesn't know how to play yet. we are going to try again in several months and see how it goes. he still hasnt learned how to point or wave yet either..but he can get into my rocking chair with his blanket! its so odd that hes able to walk at his age level but everything else is almost a year behind, it seems. it was sad when we picked him up..they had him wrapped up in his blanket, rocking him..he had been screaming for a while and had almost cried himself to sleep.. i felt horrible! it seems like any deviation to what his every day routine is messes him up.
 
when did he start preschool. He must be shocked in a new enviroment new schedule and new faces. I wonder if you are allowed to stay there for 4 hours to see if they need some feedback from you if your son gets upset or something??? :hug:
 
Frisky Feline said:
when did he start preschool. He must be shocked in a new enviroment new schedule and new faces. I wonder if you are allowed to stay there for 4 hours to see if they need some feedback from you if your son gets upset or something??? :hug:
Click to expand...

I think she implied he is not in school.
 
no, hes not in school. it was just too much for him, and i dont think the director wouldve let him carry on like that anyways.
 
How about a home tutor? Would the school district cover something like that? This is an area I am unfamiliar with; sorry if that is a dumb question.

Edit: Sorry, FF -- I see you posted nearly the same question! I didn't read all the way down. :)
 
AlleyCat said:
How about a home tutor? Would the school district cover something like that? This is an area I am unfamiliar with; sorry if that is a dumb question.

Edit: Sorry, FF -- I see you posted nearly the same question! I didn't read all the way down. :)
Click to expand...

this is a private school thing, not through the public..the problem is that hes not able to mimic people that well, and he cant use his hands properly..we have to overcome that to get to the point of learning sign language.
 
frankiesmom said:
this is a private school thing, not through the public..the problem is that hes not able to mimic people that well, and he cant use his hands properly..we have to overcome that to get to the point of learning sign language.
Click to expand...

Perhaps expressively, but receptive language is another story... The challenge is if you wait for him to expressively be able to sign, he will lose out on valuable time that would allow him to acquire language.
 
I'm sure Frankie's mom knows if her son is receptive to language. For those of use with non-verbal children you learn to look for cues and responses in their faces or eyes. My own son never showed any ability that he knew what was said. I would have been elated if he looked at me when I said "where's mama?"... but it never registered.
 
mbrek said:
I'm sure Frankie's mom knows if her son is receptive to language. For those of use with non-verbal children you learn to look for cues and responses in their faces or eyes. My own son never showed any ability that he knew what was said. I would have been elated if he looked at me when I said "where's mama?"... but it never registered.
Click to expand...

I understand your point- but your son is hearing, correct? All I'm advocating for is for him to have the opportunity to develop language and the ability to communicate. A DHH child isn't going to acquire appropriate language by overhearing their family talking...
 
Yes, my son is hearing. But you notice a lot from a child's face if they can understand, even if they can't hear. That's my point, is all. :)
 
mbrek said:
Yes, my son is hearing. But you notice a lot from a child's face if they can understand, even if they can't hear. That's my point, is all. :)
Click to expand...

Absolutely... I get what your saying... :P
 
CSign said:
I understand your point- but your son is hearing, correct? All I'm advocating for is for him to have the opportunity to develop language and the ability to communicate. A DHH child isn't going to acquire appropriate language by overhearing their family talking...
Click to expand...

Yes, but the thing is....I wonder if he could do something like ASL for receptive language, and augmentive and alternative communcation for expressive language.
 
there are those comm. boards and other devices that adults w/quadraplegia or severe CP <fine motor issues> use...with oral control....am wondering if there was anything at a very young level that could be set up for Frankie? Perhaps an children's OT/PT at a major teaching hospital in the region could come up with something?
 
he has absolutely zero understanding of anything being said to him..it is so strange. i can say "look at the dog" or "wheres daddy" and he just gives me a blank stare. the only thing he does to communicate is cry when he wants me to hold him and he makes this weird static sound when his dad comes in the room. those are the absolutely only 2 things he will do..as for sign language, he cant manipulate his hands at all..in fact, he has developed a habit of clenching his fingers in a weird twisted way and keeping them like that..the drs dont have an answer for that either! but he cant point or wave yet still so i dont know. we have a communication board that we got from our local equipment exchange thing, but he cant figure it out..hes not recognizing pictures for what they are. but hes just not getting things yet..if i tell him to come here, or try to wave him over..he just looks at me. i still have to get him out of bed most of the time..rarely will he come over for me to pick him up, if i lower the side and hold my arms out, he just sits there and looks at me..i have to get him up myself..when i change his clothes, he doesnt know to push his arm through the shirt, he just sits there and waits for me to be done..makes me feel bad that he has so little understanding! we have a speech therapy evaluation coming up, so we will see what they think.
 
deafdyke said:
Yes, but the thing is....I wonder if he could do something like ASL for receptive language, and augmentive and alternative communcation for expressive language.
Click to expand...

I would say that's a good idea... And maybe eventually he will be able to expressively sign for himself. If he receptively doesn't have access though, the expressive language will be incredibly difficult.
 
Back
Top