Is your baby 24 months old or 31 months old?

[Mary Hatch Bailey]

Dont know if this counts but I used hand sign language with my sprog way before she could talk, very simple ones for food, nappy, sleep, pain, fun, etc and worked a treat. Very few tantrums because she could get the message across. She still occasionally does them from across the room.

That's funny because I did the same thing with my kids. I had just basic ASL in college and loved it, and taught my kids a few simple signs. Funny to see their chubby little fingers trying to finger spell. I was less enthusiastic when someone compared it to teaching Koko the ape

[gravida]

I was less enthusiastic when someone compared it to teaching Koko the ape

Please... On the other hand - people have lots of limitations, even grasping simple concepts may be hard.

I am using ASL with my baby too and love it. There is lots of research behind it, but even common sense drives us there - since children learn way before they talk that they can get things by actions(=hands up to being lifted, reaching for desired toys, pushing away spoon with the food they do not want - all very early), so the same should be with sign language.

gravida,

I'm not sure what you are driving at, but it seems like you think we are attacking you & your methods.

SMS, I do not want not be rude or hurt your feelings, but... Frankly, my own education, work experience and knowledge plus trust in the experts you do not value and their research (LOTS of it) tells me enough. I am not seeking reassurance on the message board. and Frankly (do not get me wrongly) I do not care what sundaymorningstaple is thinking about my methods Moreover, I didn't even mention here about "my methods". I was just trying to clarify why well recognized body such as American Speech, Language and Hearing Association (ASHA) has mentioned imitation of children as one of the stimulation techniques on their website. And why (in my humble opinion) stimulation should differ depending on the individual child's needs.

Going even one step further, since you are insisting to continue the topic in a half-scientific way, using some percentages and other numbers (BTW, how did you count it?)
What you are writing about your children (and the relatives one) may be
a) just your (and people around you) impression
b) "talking" in imitation to please the adults around without full understanding of the communication and the messages/talking (you know, children repeat tons of things just to get a clap and a smile)

and even more - taking for granted that indeed the three children were comprehending and talking in sentences with the communicative purpose before the age of one (not seen in the literature too often, but well - possible). And here we have to highlight that an average child starts to use first words at the 12-13 months of age (and it is not gravida's data, but based on tons of research):

c) these are only three children and yet we have no data in terms of regular things that we take under consideration when the research is done (like: the type of stimulation, overall child's health, family predispositions, the way how the methods (your methods) were delivered, with what frequency, how the outcome was measured and so on, so on... I am sure everyone is aware how it normally works when someone is trying to validate his or her theory.


So, frankly, SMS, I think it is time to announce EOT I do not have intentions to "prove" my point, I am not writing anything to put you (or anybody else) down, to jeopardize your methods or to evaluate somebody's parental skills. Come on. I just wanted to share something, give a bit different perspective.
I am very sorry if I've hurt somebody's feeling, that was not my intention. I am more than happy to hear how great your children were/are doing. That allows me to broaden my perspective.