tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8848123426204206503.post8696250886410010462..comments2020-02-11T13:54:23.233+02:00Comments on SAM...MORE THAN A CONQUEROR: It had to happen....AGAIN!!Nickyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16316970339424084688noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8848123426204206503.post-27019840020960461912011-02-09T21:11:15.783+02:002011-02-09T21:11:15.783+02:00So bleak and frustrating about the reflux! It is s...So bleak and frustrating about the reflux! It is so disheartening. I remember that feeling well. I will email you about what we did with Matt's gag reflex. But how totally exciting about the communication thing. I remember some specialist telling me about the HUGE milestone it is when a kid realises that he can do something to communicate a message. That changes everything! If I remember with Matt, he needed to practice a lot on the first few gestures before he moved on to others. It was like he really needed to be convinced that they worked to communicate. So we would set up scenarois where he would want the thing he could gesture, and we would only give it to him when he gestured and give him lots of praise for doing so. That helped him solidify his learning that gestures help him get things. So I would let the Barney song finish and not let it start again before Smurfy requests it. You can also make up signs for the top 3 things he really is addicted to - for the first while use the signs whilst doing the activity, and then start to do hand-over-hand with his hands making the sign and then eventually expect him to do the sign before you do the requested activity. Matt defnitely learnt his gestures around fun activities e.g. being pushed while sitting on his changing mat, and seeing a big butterfly flap it's wings. Sorry for the long post - hope some of it might help. <br /><br />Keep putting one step in front of another, soon you will look back and marvel at how far you all have come. HUGSJacquihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05742525616102560739noreply@blogger.com