Sign Language saves a life!

Oceanbreeze

Oceanbreeze

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Here's something that will make one proud!

Sign Language Helps Child Save Mom's Life

WESTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) - A mother's decision to teach her 3-year-old daughter sign language may have saved her life.

Kristin Comeau began to cough uncontrollably and have difficulty breathing on Wednesday. The Long Island mother dialed 911, but her throat closed up and prevented her from speaking when the operator answered.

Comeau, who had taught her daughter, Ruby, sign language as a hobby, said she signed the word "help" to her daughter, and the little girl repeated it to the 911 operator.

Ruby also gave the operator her address, as she had been taught by her father.

Comeau was taken to a hospital, where she recovered from what she believes was a severe allergic reaction.

"I couldn't believe how well she did," Comeau told Newsday.

Ruby's 8-month-old brother, Nick, also is being taught sign language. He "can sign 'milk' to me. You take your hand and just squeeze it like you're pumping it out of a cow," Comeau said.


02/26/05 15:38 EST
 
Would be nice if military teaches that to their soliders -- ABSOLUTE silence in communication!! Even in distance using binoclars (sp).
 
Saw a movie "Meet Focker" last weekend and they showed a baby using sign language. Great to know others teach babies to communicate. Glad her mother is okay.
 
Yea baby pick up their langauage faster by singing and will be able to speak words faster too. My son learn to sign when he was 9 months old. He learns please, thks, cold. Now not much but I am gotta teach him more. Lazy mom here lol. But actually he out too much
 
LinuxGold said:
Would be nice if military teaches that to their soliders -- ABSOLUTE silence in communication!! Even in distance using binoclars (sp).
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:werd: That would be pretty kewl. Heh!
 
Wow, what a wonderful story!

Unfortunately some of the materials used to teach sign language to babies use a dumbed-down (or I guess they would say "simpler") form of it. Hmm, somehow I don't think Deaf parents are teaching a "simple" form of ASL to their kids! But it's great to teach kids all different ways to communicate. I would think it makes them more broad-minded when they grow up.
 
deaflibrarian said:
Another great example of introducing sign language to all children, not just Deaf/deaf/hard of hearing children! :thumb:

I'm a proponent of using sign language with babies and toddlers. I learned in graduate school about the communication skills children get when they learn sign language right from the beginning even if they are hearing. This was all news to me and it was very informative.

I now give my expectant friends and relatives a videotape of sign language for their new baby so they can teach their baby sign language. They are always amazed when their child (one was 8 months old like in that news story) signs for food, milk, nap, dirty diaper, mama, daddy, etc. Also, temper tantrums are basically zero because the child can communicate and is not confused by all the "babbling."

It is also interesting that it is only recently (i.e., in the past 8 or so years) this teaching sign language to babies and toddlers when Deaf parents knew about this all along because they taught sign to their babies and the babies knew the words and were able to communicate with their Deaf parents. The medical and education professionals did not believe this was possible for babies and toddlers that didn't speak yet, but now they believe Deaf parents.
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DL,

Our kids have gone to daycare since they were babies. One of their first caretakers (who was hearing), would sign simple signs to the children ... :ily: :bye: And, a few more.

The cool thing is, my niece and nephew have long since left that daycare provider, but they still will occasionally use sign. I want the kids to continue it (since i think it's cool to begin with lol), so I will sign ILY to the kids. My niece is like "Whatever" (she's like that, anyway lol), but my nephew will sign back to me. :)

The kids are also ages 3.5 and 4.5 now.
 
That why I think everybody and all hearing people should
learn sign language... so that it would be easy for us to get jobs
and for emergency. :thumb:
 
That's great that the mother's allright from that health crisis, and that her daughter acted fast.

Wondeful news of ASL being treated like a foreign language. Usually, people want to learn ASL because of family or friend. Not that is bad. :)
 
Awwww...I would love for my kids to learn to sign. They don't have the attention span for it, though. LOL. They have their moments - but for the most part, the most frequent sign used is the ILY sign...and the kids use it when they're leaving for school, going to bed, etc...it's the only "finger" I'll let them use, too!
 
that is neat. sad in a way but neat. i am learning sign and i tend to keep my mouth shut quite a bit due to my addiction to ASL. this is great. i love seeing people (deaf or not) conversing in sign... :angel:
 
Malfoyish said:
Awwww...I would love for my kids to learn to sign. They don't have the attention span for it, though. LOL. They have their moments - but for the most part, the most frequent sign used is the ILY sign...and the kids use it when they're leaving for school, going to bed, etc...it's the only "finger" I'll let them use, too!
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Right, Malfy. :lol: My neice is like your kids.. She's like "Oh, please. I'll be cute when I wanna be cute, thank you!" :rofl:

My nephew, though, does use some of the simple signs. You have to sign to him first, but he will sign back to you.

It think it's pretty cool. :)
 
even though sign language will save ravensteve's life? just a thought of it...
 
I believe Hearing People do have a SMALL sign language like * your car tire flat* if they can't hear eachother.. they considering to use a sign language to alert..

for example My step mom is a full time interpreter and my dad only know pse and see sign language he is not the best wtih sign language whatever my step mom called * HARVEY!...... sldkfjalsdkfj* but my dad can't hear what my step mom said cuz it's due of long distance so my step mom use sign language to commucation with my dad and my dad understood


all my step mom said in sign language * I forget to leave my purse in the truck please bring it with you*
 
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