As I talked to another patient, he was asking (pointing to the chair) to get up. I’d worked on the sign for please for a while, but he had never gotten it. He wanted to stand on the chair next to me to look at it, but I had alread helped him up several times and he had gotten down again. DS loves to look at a picture of kids with a dog when we are in the waiting room. One day about a month ago DS and I were at one of my last OB appointments (DD was born a week and a half ago). I’ve used a number of these suggestions and my 15 month old is an avid signer! Still no words (none that I have heard anyway… aparently mommy and daddy have been heard by others a couple times). When your child sees that he/she can communicate their wants/needs effectively, it will give them added confidence that will help them in the continuing process of language development. And of course these things need to be done in patience and love. Little tricks like these have helped me get most non-verbal children to start communicating. Then model an appropriate way to make the request. When your child points and grunts, or tantrums pay no attention at all, or be sure to explain that you don’t understand what they want even when you do. It is important to be quick with your reinforcement so your child will make the connection easily, for example if you are teaching your child to request “more cookie” be sure to have that cookie ready to put in their darling little hands right away.
They will learn very quickly that when they sign or say “out” they can go outside but if they simply cry by the door nothing happens. Using these little tricks that require your child to communicate will teach your child the power of communication.
Wait for them to request help with a a sign or a word. Blow bubbles then screw the lid on tightly and hand it back to your child for their turn. Wind up a wind-up toy your child gets a kick out of then hand it to them when they want a turn, wait for them to request help by using the sign or the word to operate the toy.Ĩ. Use wind up toys or other toys that are difficult for kids to operate on their own. When your child indicates he/she wants a cookie you might hand him/her the cookie jar (tightly sealed of course), when he/she can’t open it and hands it back to you make him/her sign open or help.ħ. Look at him/her expectantly if no sign or verbal request is made, model an appropriate request such as the sign for “ball,” the /b/ sound, the word “ball” or “ball please”…Ħ. Once your child expects another turn hold the car or ball and wait. Play turn-taking games such as rolling the ball back and forth, or pushing a car back and forth. You may accomplish this by putting favorite things up high or locked up.ĥ. Set it up so they have to make a request or ask for help to access these things. Limit your child’s access to things like the t.v., toys, food, or going outside. If no attempt is made model the sign “more,” help them make the sign, or model the /m/ sound for them to imitate.Ĥ. At meal time and snack time give your child bite size portions, rather than dishing up a whole serving for them, then wait for them to request more. If your child can already say one word model a two word phrase for him/her to imitate like, “play please.”ģ.
Play with something your child loves but don’t offer to share.įor instance if your child loves playing with playdough and wants to participate in the fun, you could model the /p/ sound for “please” or “play,” or you could model the signs for please or play. If your child simply keeps pointing and grunting take his/her hand and help him make the sign for candy then reward him/her with the candy.Ģ. For example, if your child points and grunts to the candy, model the sign for candy then wait and see if your child will imitate the sign candy. When your child indicates that they would like some, model a more advanced way for them to make the request, whether it is using a sign, a word or a simple phrase. Eat something your child loves in their presence with out offering them any. If you do and they seem to work for you, please share them with us.ġ. After getting the idea of how this works, I’m sure you will be able to come up with some of your own “temptations”. Here are 8 Communicative Temptations I have found helpful in therapy. There are many ways of “tempting” your child to speak. Most often children just need a little more incentive to get them talking so I like to use what is known to speech therapists as “Communicative Temptations.”
Many of you have been interested in how to stimulate more speech from your toddlers so I thought I would share a few tricks I use as a speech therapist.