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Theme: For Jenn Re: sign language
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Date: 29/11/00
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Author: SeriouslySalty
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On Fri, 24 Nov 2000 07:44:49 -0700, "Scuba-Chin"
amazing that I could even see it: >Sign language is a dying language, and as a speech-language pathologist >working with hearing impaired and/or non-verbal individuals, I do not >advocate the use of it nor do I teach it to any of my students. Why teach a >language to someone that will make their communication attempts in the >everyday world extremely limited? How many folks in the real world know >sign language? Not many. I prefer to provide these individuals with a >communication method that EVERYONE can understand and that will not limit >them. With ever advancing technology, the use of voice output >alternative/augmentative communication devices has increased dramatically >and effectively. >Sorry...not the opinion you were looking for, I'm sure. But with that >opinion, I do agree with you to some extent....SCUBA is the only practical >use for sign language that I can see and that I would advocate. >Jenn I answered : On Fri, 24 Nov 2000 12:06:10 -0500, SeriouslySalty I'm surprised to hear you say this Jenn. I have a friend who is a speech pathologist also...as well as a scuba instructor and she also has a deaf-mute brother in law. She teaches it a good bit. One of the kids that I work with is non-verbal and he's learning to sign. He's 3 and does pretty well with it for his age. However, you are absolutely right that signing is only effective when both parties can use it. I need to brush up my signing skills with this little guy because he often signs to me and I don't know what he is saying. Thinking about the kids and adults on vents that I've worked.... most did not learn to sign. One little girl had a computer that would talk for her... in a male voice that was quite robotic in quality. It was very effective for her but I understand that these are somewhat cost prohibitive. Are you seeing more insurance companies being willing to fork out the money for these machines ? ----------------------------- I don't see an answer from you but I worked with this little guy again today and some thoughts came to my mind on this topic. I'd like to share them with you. First, he is only 3. He can and does sign pretty well for his age. I don't think an computer speech board would help him for several reasons. He would simply push the buttons over and over again to hear a pleasing sound. He does this with his Elmo toys and musical toys. Secondly, even though he's 3, he can not walk. This means that he can't carry his computer board with him....unlike the little girl that I had on the vent. She was 9 yrs old and hers fastened to her motorized wheelchair. It was a great help to her at school but I think this little guy can do much better in communicating his basic needs by sign language because he isn't bombarded with so many different ppl like a child would be at school. Also, I'm thinking of the diagnosis/prognosis of the patient. If you have a patient who's able to use a computer speech board and their prognosis is such that it will leave them in the same condition for some time, then a computer speech board may be a benefit. However, with some of the kids that I work with, their prognosis is labile and I doubt that a parent or insurance company is going to spend 6 or 9 thousand dollars for one of these machines if the patient can't use it for an extended period. The Commonwealth of PA has a program that gives patients these computer speech boards for free but only as a loan. The typical loan period is like 3 to 6 months. Third, we have coupled a picture book with signing with this little guy. He simply points to an item in his book if he can't sign. When I say "if he can't sign", I mean this ----- I'm not sure that he always runs on the same frequency in terms of thought. He has a cancerous brain tumor that was operated on once but has grown back. I think that at times he actually "blanks out" and becomes aphasic...not remembering the sign. The surgery and damage to the brain from the tumor is why he can't speak...and why he can't walk. His picture book is made up of actual photos we have taken with a camera of things he might want or need.... ie. cookies, juice, all kinds of food, the potty, all his toys, medicine for pain, his crib to sleep, his dog (an alive pet), his blanket, etc. This method of communication is very effective at times. Other times, it isn't and he won't sign...he just cries and cries. At these times, we usually give him a dose of morphine and he settles down. He's been having alot of ear infections lately and he's very cranky then. Sometimes he will point to his ear and then you know to give him Tylenol... or morphine. Usually he'll need morphine if he cries for a while because that increases the pressure in his head. :( Since this is your field of expertise, any thoughts that you have on this are ohhhh soooo welcome !!! It is most frustrating for me...and the other nurses... when he is unhappy and needs something that we |
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