Why We Sign & - APD And ASL

ASL stands for american Sign Language.
"Ok, so what do these things have to do with each other?"
I've written before about our struggles with my son's APD and how long it has taken to get a written diagnosis. Even with out the written diagnosis and through all of that time we were told that he needed visual clues such as pictures, or written word. (my son doesn't read fluently yet) I found that I could call his name and he would respond but couldn't follow my instructions.
During the summer 2010 we had gone to the library to check out books and I had remembered seeing Signing Time (a show from 2 Little Hands Productions) on TV and asked if the children's library carried DVD's. So, we checked out and returned the series all that summer.
Jump ahead to 2012 and after discovering that the signs we remembered from that summer passed are effective in helping son communicate and learn; we decided that would learn and use ASL as a tool for him.
So far; it works wonderfully. We have had success over the past few months and since we've started using ASL our lives have been much easier. And despite my blindness, we make it work. I speak and sign to him, and he talks to me. If we need to he can sign in my hands and has even been known to help a stranger communicate in a pinch.
If you have a child with APD or any other language or speech delays, I urge you to give ASL a try. I know I sound like a commercial but I promise I am speaking from the heart, I'm not paid to write this, (I may even get in trouble for mentioning the show) but I know what worked for us and I don't think that is coincidence. I love Signing Time because it makes learning fun for people of all ages and abilities and I love the songs Rachel Coleman uses to make the lessons easy to remember. However, there are plenty of books and other ASL resources you can check out at the library or contact your local hearing and speech center.
I know how much help this has been for us, and i hope it is just as helpful to you and your family.
Until Next time. God bless, and Make it a great day!