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SilverSabre25 08:07 AM 02-21-2011
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
I would NOT use sign language! It will give her & her parents an excuse to not make her speak! She needs to learn how to talk. That is ridoulous to use sign language. Make her use words for what she wants or she cant get what she wants until she can say the word. Also, 2 yr olds are old enough to learn how to pick up toys. They need to learn at a young age to do little things like simply picking up some toys. Also, napping is individuale to the child. Maybe she needs more sleep,but would not give her a pacifer.
Oh for the love of pete!!! Using sign language does NOT interfere with their ability to learn to speak, and if she does have speech delays then it will HELP her learn to communicate. There is TONS of research supporting the use of sign language in early childhood environments with both neurotypical children and those with delays and research that I know of that suggests that it it not okay. Even children who speak and are developing normally benefit from learning sign at a young age--it gives them the tools they need to communicate before they are physically able to.

You can't FORCE a child to speak who isn't ready to, and you can do more harm than good by trying! When you teach a sign, you speak the word and make the sign at the same time and therefore are presenting both simultaneously--it in no way interferes with talking to the child or teaching them the spoken words for things. Signing is STILL communicating, and that's what's important at this stage.
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