Mom of a little deaf boy

ContessaC

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I am...beyond stressed.

My son, Conner is ...in a word beautiful. He is smart, funny, loving, sweet...and deaf. He is 5 years old and has a CI on his right side. He has JUST started attending the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind ...and according to his teachers...he is a rockstar. Conner, has no language - save for the signs he is learning at school.

Why the delay?

When Conner was 3 he recieved his first CI - which we later discovered was implanted INCORRECTLY. As in...the WRONG part of his head. At first we went all for,hands down an audio verbal education so he could (as we were told by our audiologist at the time) could make the most use of his CI. He was re-implanted late 2011 and we changed his education to learn ASL.

Long, LONG story short...I need to learn ASL and fast b/c he's going to out pace me in no time flat. In the first 3 weeks of school, he has learned how to sign his name, all of his primary colors and can count to 10. To see Conner sign and spell his name for the first time you can see him at Youtube if you search for RussRock1 under Conner.

I am worried/stressed/concerned that...I wont be able to learn. What is the best way to learn. I can not be one of those parents of a deaf child who isn't able to communicate with their child...

Please help...I need to communicate with my son...
 
FSDB has online classes I can take - though most of them interfere with my work schedule. Its VERY frustrating! I am willing to do anything - I've made flash cards for myself and for Conner. I've hung/taped/tacked signs around my house/office and car to increase my vocabulary.
 
Why don't you ask your son to teach you?

Ask him, "Hey, what did you learn today?" When he tells you, look at him as a teacher... while showing pride by answering back as you learn.

If it's numbers, ask him how many. When he responds in sign language, learn from that.

If it's colors, ask him what color plate/bowl he wants to use... learn from that.

Whatever he learns, you can learn too. :)
 
Why don't you ask your son to teach you?

Ask him, "Hey, what did you learn today?" When he tells you, look at him as a teacher... while showing pride by answering back as you learn.

If it's numbers, ask him how many. When he responds in sign language, learn from that.

If it's colors, ask him what color plate/bowl he wants to use... learn from that.

Whatever he learns, you can learn too. :)

Conner doesn't speak at all. As far as communication...we do alot of pictures. A WHOLE lot of pointing. We have him ask or say "want" for everything and point. The little guy gets SO frustrated, SO quickly...
 
Don't you know how to read body language? It is all visual. He does not have to speak. If you sign to him like what color or if he can read what you write down. He will sign the word that you want to know. He may be 5 years old and FSDB can teach him to read some words. Why don't you get a easy to learn sign language book from the library if they have them? If you can figure out from the online ASL vocabulary, you will hopefully get the sign right. If your son see if you sign wrong, he will correct you for you.

ASL class is a must for hearing person for first time to learn how to sign. If you can not get away from work to learn to sign in the ASL class, then you need to find someone to teach you how to sign properly like on the weekend.

I don't know your schedule. There must be a way around it to communicate with your son. ASL is the way to go.

Talk to the FSDB about your problem of finding a way to sign so that you can communicate with your son. Tell them about your work schedule. You might have cancel some of your work day like once a week class or twice a week class. Once a week class seem to be much better. Also you need to practice in front of the mirror or while you are watching the program on T.V. or listening to the radio. That way you won't get rusty trying to remember all the signs. Good luck. :cool2:
 
ASL class is a must for hearing person for first time to learn how to sign. If you can not get away from work to learn to sign in the ASL class, then you need to find someone to teach you how to sign properly like on the weekend.

That's a great suggestion. Also, to throw this in the mix, you can ask FSDB to see if they have some after school activities or any kind of activities that includes Deaf Parents of deaf children. This would be a great opportunity for both you and Conner to learn ASL, also to learn from the Deaf Adults to get an idea of how they acquire their language, so and on.

I admire your effort for taking this step to communicate with your son. He's fortunate to have you. :)
 
I used picture cards to express myself when I couldn't even speak (I was a late talker)
 
there are websites that you can go to to learn basic signs, it wont teach you grammar or any of that, just words that can be handy. you really do need to take classes. hire a tutor? Ask someone at the school if they know of anyone. They should.

if you want the sites, 2 ive found helpful are lifeprint.com and aslpro.com

Hope it helps at least a little.
 
Thank you, everyone for your input. I contacted Conner's teacher from school and FSDB is sending someone to help both my husband and myself decide HOW the best way to learn ASL will be for us.

I have high hopes :)
 
I am...beyond stressed.

My son, Conner is ...in a word beautiful. He is smart, funny, loving, sweet...and deaf. He is 5 years old and has a CI on his right side. He has JUST started attending the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind ...and according to his teachers...he is a rockstar. Conner, has no language - save for the signs he is learning at school.

Why the delay?

When Conner was 3 he recieved his first CI - which we later discovered was implanted INCORRECTLY. As in...the WRONG part of his head. At first we went all for,hands down an audio verbal education so he could (as we were told by our audiologist at the time) could make the most use of his CI. He was re-implanted late 2011 and we changed his education to learn ASL.

Long, LONG story short...I need to learn ASL and fast b/c he's going to out pace me in no time flat. In the first 3 weeks of school, he has learned how to sign his name, all of his primary colors and can count to 10. To see Conner sign and spell his name for the first time you can see him at Youtube if you search for RussRock1 under Conner.

I am worried/stressed/concerned that...I wont be able to learn. What is the best way to learn. I can not be one of those parents of a deaf child who isn't able to communicate with their child...

Please help...I need to communicate with my son...


• ASL • American Sign Language

Handspeak ? Learn American Sign Language (ASL)

Start American Sign Language (ASL)

https://signingonline.com/

You could also try asking on Craig's list for a teacher. Explain your situation, you never know, there's some nice people out there. You can check to see if there are any organizations that teach it for free to deaf families. Best of luck to you. You have an absolutely adorable son....:)

Laura
 
• ASL • American Sign Language

Handspeak ? Learn American Sign Language (ASL)

Start American Sign Language (ASL)

https://signingonline.com/

You could also try asking on Craig's list for a teacher. Explain your situation, you never know, there's some nice people out there. You can check to see if there are any organizations that teach it for free to deaf families. Best of luck to you. You have an absolutely adorable son....:)

Laura

Those websites look like some really great sources of information. :ty:

I would put up the youtube link here but I usually access online from work and I don't have access to youtube at the office.
 
To see Conner sign and spell his name for the first time you can see him at Youtube if you search for RussRock1 under Conner.


omgosh, adorable!!!!!!!!!!
 
Those websites look like some really great sources of information. :ty:

I would put up the youtube link here but I usually access online from work and I don't have access to youtube at the office.

One word of advice? Be patient with yourself. I know it's hard but everything will come together. You sound harder on yourself than your son will ever be with your Signing or lack of it. He already knows you love him and you convey that without words - visual or otherwise.

Laura
 
Thank you, everyone for your input. I contacted Conner's teacher from school and FSDB is sending someone to help both my husband and myself decide HOW the best way to learn ASL will be for us.

I have high hopes :)

You're already hooked up with FSDB and that is the BEST resource you can ever have! You're making an effort....and that's awesome.............and it's ALSO awesome that Conner is picking up stuff so fast.....that proves he's really smart....I think that he'll make HUGE strides this year, and might even get up tograde level.
Also another suggestion.... maybe see if there's any CODAs or HOH folks in the area who could teach your family ASL... serve as a deaf mentor maybe.
 
Conner is just...like McAwesome sauce! I'm not biased...no, not at all! ;)

...what is a CODA? I would really love to hook up with some HoH/Deaf members of the community. I'm having a difficult time getting someone to act as a mentor. I've tried to contact other parents of children in my son's class...so far, no luck :(
 
As a mother, you than your son more patient, use sign language and body language slowly to teach him.This will be a difficult process, However, every mother will persevere.
 
Here is the youtube video of my boy that I was unable to post earlier...

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbU4j8JUxGg]Conner - YouTube[/ame]
 
Conner is just...like McAwesome sauce! I'm not biased...no, not at all! ;)

...what is a CODA? I would really love to hook up with some HoH/Deaf members of the community. I'm having a difficult time getting someone to act as a mentor. I've tried to contact other parents of children in my son's class...so far, no luck :(

CODA mean Children of Deaf Adults. They are the hearing children of Deaf parents who sign ASL or any sign language (different countries). The Child or Children are fluent in ASL because they communicated with their Deaf parents.

I have a hearing son who I taught him to sign when he was a toddler and now he is a man of 35 years old, almost 36 soon. I was surprised when I visited him back home to New Mexico that he still remembered ASL. I signed with him and I understand him very well. No problem there. LOL. So that is what CODA stand for. :cool2:
 
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