Communication: Much more than words!

Today, when I handed HRH a milkshake, he said ‘tada ada eesake’ unprompted. I translated this as ‘thank you for the milkshake’ and I was so excited that I put it up on my Facebook page.

I have been paying serious attention to his babble for a long time now because I feel he is trying to say so much and it just isn’t coming out clearly. I really want to encourage his communication skills and have been spending a lot of time ‘chatting’ with him.

There is a statistic that states 90% of communication is non-verbal and 2 hours after the milkshake incident he reminded me of this, of how I need to watch his whole body.

He held up one hand and said ‘Mama’ and held up his other hand and said ‘Dada’. I named the body parts, but he kept on holding up one hand at a time and calling them Mama and Dada. After a few goes I joined in and said ‘Mama’ with one hand up and ‘Dada’ with the other hand up.

Then he put his hands together and said Mama and Dada again. He held them clasped together for a few seconds, smiling at me.

That was even more moving for me than his ‘thank you for the milkshake’ and a great reminder that there is so much more to communication.

Helping our children find a means to communicate, in any form, is what counts!

*photo credit google images

Jen Cull

The King and Eye

Mum of 3 great children, one of whom has autism. Wife, taxi service, blogger, cook and chief bottle washer in my *spare* time