Yesterday I told you how I came about Uh Oh Bands when we were trying to find solutions to some of our baby sign language friends who have confirmed diagnosis of Childhood Apraxia of Speech. For those of you unfamiliar with Apraxia, the condition is defined as delays in speech not associated to deafness, muscle weakness or paralysis; Instead, a child with Apraxia struggles with making the neural connections that instruct the tongue, maxillary bones and other body parts associated with forming speech.

Many parents come to our website on recommendation of their Speech Pathologist in search of free baby sign language resources support the speech therapy plan set forth for their little ones. The resources in our website can help little ones two ways. Firstly sign language is highly recommended as a transitional communication for little ones with Apraxia. Secondly our flashcards can be integrated as part of an augmentative communication system by letting your little one point at different visuals to help him convey a need or want.

Teaching Baby Sign Language to Toddlers with Apraxia

If you have come to our website on suggestion of your speech therapy clinic it is likely that they have a plan in place designed to first introduce your little one to words and concepts that will help him meet basic needs and reduce frustration. Reducing frustration is extremely important for a child with Apraxia since they are fully able to understand language and form words in their brain. In fact, many little ones with Apraxia text normal to above average on I.Q. tests. If you are using sign language to help your toddler please remember to always include and encourage verbal communication. This is key in overcoming the delays resulting from this condition. Once your child has mastered his basic signs together with the therapist you can work on selecting words and concepts that make sense for your little one. This can be based on increased complexity of vocal movements or based on the child’s preferences and interests which are likely to keep him motivated and involved.

Using the Flashcards & Visuals for Augmentative Communication Systems

When it comes to your little one the principal goal is to help them express their needs and wants. If at any stage your speech therapist identifies value in ACS you might want to consider purchasing the baby sign language flashcards featuring true to real life images to help your child make proper associations as they point to the word they are wishing to convey. In addition we encourage you to print collections of flashcards based on your therapist recommendation and either create booklets for your toddler to carry around and be able to point or tape the flashcards at toddler-height in strategic places. For example, you could tape food items and fruits on the door of your refrigerator.

Transitional Tools for Apraxia

As your little one overcomes delays in speech he is likely to be ready to explore the world. Yesterday we shared the Uh Oh bands as a smart resource for Apraxia. A little one with Apraxia might have a hard time communicating basic ideas inclusive of mom’s name. Additionally, if he happens to be lost even for a short period of time most people are unlikely to understand sign language. As your little one increases in mobility it is essential for you to put systems in place to protect him.

We love products designed by moms, and that’s one reason we love Uh Oh Bands. These durable, silicone wristbands were designed by a mom with a sense of intuition and style. They read “Uh Oh, I’m Lost” along with the international symbol for first aid and a place to write your phone number. Allergy bands read “Uh Oh, Allergy” along with a space to write your child’s life-threatening allergies. Simple, comfortable, and waterproof, Uh Oh Bands provide peace of mind in public places.They’re especially helpful for children with disabilities, and they come in adult sizes, too. You can even consider an Uh Oh Bands Fundraiser for your school, team, or organization.

We found out about these bands while we tried to help a mom of a little boy with Apraxia & peanut allergies. She needed a practical and affordable solution to help her toddler communicate a complex situation. When it came to his condition and considering his age baby sign language was just not enough.

Prizes: We are going to select 10 winners. You get to pick your color! Each band is valued at $7

OK, so maybe not magic powers, but they do give kids a way to communicate without having to say a word and that’s pretty cool!

Does your child wear an Uh Oh Band? Consider teaching them some of the following baby signs! Hurt  Mommy  Afraid  Daddy

If you want to enter another awesome giveaway click here.

Yesterday we received a Facebook message from one of our friends telling us a story worth sharing. we asked her permission and she agreed to let us publish a most wonderful and touching story.

We have changed the names and identifiable details of the story to protect the privacy of the family. This does not diminish at all the beauty and uniqueness of the story.

Most of the stories and testimonies we receive are related to magical bonding experiences between parent and child. This story is quite unique because baby signs served as a tool for bonding with a new caregiver.

Hi!

I am reaching out to you to thank you and to share a story of something that means the world to me.  I saw your post about the blanket giveaway and it made me recall how I ended up liking your page. Recently my family faced a very painful crisis. My younger sister who was living across the country became pregnant with her daughter Jana. When Jana was born we made it a point to Facetime and Skype frequently, even when she was not yet old enough to engage with my husband and I we would spend time with her and my sister, singing songs reading baby books and just getting to know our niece the best that we could. As Jana got older my sister began teaching her baby sign language. Both my husband and I laughed about it just a little but in an effort to be supportive to my sister who was single parenting at the time we jump on the bandwagon.

By the time Jana was 10 months old she could use a ton of signs. When we Facetimed I would show her printed flashcards from your website and she would do the sign as my sister and I repeated the word. It was a ton of fun!

Three months ago my sister passed away in a terrible accident while driving to work. Within days my husband and I went from being parents to a cat and a lab to having a little girl at home. The sudden change in routine resulted in a little toddler that was often inconsolable. As much as we had engaged with her online, having her at home was a completely different ballgame. During the first weeks our grief combined with all the changes made for a very stressed little one and very grumpy adults. As things started to calm down I realized that Jana would do signs while having meltdowns. Unfortunately my knowledge of baby sign language was limited to social signs, animals and the signs we had incorporated to our common songs and books. I did not know any day-to-day signs. In fact, it was not until three weeks of having Jana at home that I learned the signs for milk and more.

Curious to know what Jana was trying to communicate I started watching every single video from the baby sign language dictionary. I did it in alphabetical order and I quickly got to the letter B. What a surprise it was to find the sign for bear and shortly thereafter the sign for blanket. That was the sign that my little Jana was repeating again and again during her meltdowns. On a whim my husband and I started to check the boxes with her stuff that we had brought with us from California. In the third box we found a well worn blanket with a teddy bear holder. We quickly pulled the blanket gave it a wash and put it in Jana’s hands!

Now we know, and we have what it takes to comfort our little princess. I am so grateful for your videos!!! Jana is still very much into signs and only says a few words but she has adjusted very nicely and when she is having a difficult time she is able to tell us and we are able to understand. Huge thanks for your website.

Jana’s Aunt

If you have a baby sign language story to share with us or you have questions and need guidance we are here to help you. We are so thankful for stories such as this one!

Let the fun begin!!! Little Giraffe has agreed to gift our baby sign language family & friends with a really awesome blanket and blanky!

Little Giraffe is one of 55 brands we love and use in our own homes. For us, the sensory experience given to our little ones by  selecting extra soft fabrics and toys adds a whole new dimension to the developmental care of our little ones. Last year, when my friend Sasha was expecting her baby girl I purchased a giraffe plush toy from Little Giraffe. Nelly’s third sign just after more and milk was giraffe!!

The most important quality of a baby blanket is how it feels on baby’s skin, and that’s why we love Little Giraffe’s blankets, blankies, and swaddlers. They’re made from the softest, plushest of materials, and they feel just heavenly, like laying on a cloud. High-quality chenille, cashmere, velvet and muslin are some of the options. Little Giraffe also makes luxury stuffed animals, bips, washcloths, towels, pillows, and more – all the perfect feel for baby’s delicate skin. We love the gift sets for baby showers. Even celebrities like Angelina Jolie, Gwen Stefani, and Jessica Alba love Little Giraffe’s plush products. (In fact, I found out about this awesome brand via a Tweet from one of these famous moms).

You Can Win “My First Blanket” & My First Blanky  in pink or blue (winner can choose colors) worth $111.50.  

One winner will be selected using Rafflecopter. The giveaway is open to Continental United States friends only. The winner will be selected on June 7 2014

If you already have some of Little Giraffe’s products at home you may want to work on learning the following baby signs:

Pillow

Blanket

Giraffe

Socks

Our sweet friends at Little Giraffe would love to extend a discount to all new customers, just head to their website and enter your address to their friend list.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a well loved book that should be part of every child’s personal library. For us this book presented a wonderful opportunity to transition baby from two-dimensional concepts to real objects. With the help of The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle we learned many food items particularly fruits.

In addition to learning to sign and say fruits and food items The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a great resource to teach baby the basics of counting and finite concepts. If you have older children who are already familiar with The Very Hungry Caterpillar learning Herman The Worm, a charming and contagious camp song suitable for little ones four and up.

As you read The Very Hungry Caterpillar with your little one you may want to begin to introduce the following baby signs:

Caterpillar, moon, leaf, sun, egg, apple, pears, strawberries, oranges,cake, ice cream, watermelon.

If this is your first time reading our Top Fifty Read-Along Books for Babies & Toddlers series please go to the following posts to check out prior editions:

Little Blue Truck,

Sleeping Books

Animal Books II

Animal Books I

The Little Engine That Could

The Very Busy Spider

Love You Forever

If you don’t have access to all the fruits and food items in your kitchen consider purchasing plastic model food items such as this set of pretend food

Until next time!!

The Baby Sign Language Team