Oh yeah! I think I have the date where he has to go to Texas wrong, I think he presents the results in 2012.
Anyway, I was talking to one of the other students at the event and she was telling me about something I found interesting. She is married and her husband had a child from a previous marriage. I don’t recall if it was the ex wife or the ex wife’s mother but, one of them taught the child to use sign language before he could talk.
This may have delayed his speech a little but no lasting problem. I just thought it was interesting to use sign language at a time when children aren’t old enough to talk yet.
It really does work! One year I had a sweet little boy in my class with Down’s syndrome. His mom and dad taught him sign language early because they knew he would have difficulties with oral speech. She read to him hours each day as well. One of the most well behaved child with special needs that I have worked with. It’s hard for the parents to discipline their children with special needs because they tend to feel sorry for them and falsely believe they can’t do more. It’s just a different type of learning.