OSSL (Owen Sign & Sound Language)

Well we haven’t written an update for about 6 weeks. Owen still isn’t speaking ‘english’ words but his communication has increased exponentially through signs and other sounds. Since we last wrote the most notable addition is the ability to nod ‘yes’ and shake his head ‘no’. This in combination with the ability to point makes for the ability to have actual conversations with him to some degree. For example;

Owen points at cabinet
Us: “Do you want something in that cabinet?”
Owen nods yes.
Us: “What do you want? Do you want some goldfish?”
Owen shakes head no.
Us: “Do you want a graham cracker?”
Owen shakes head no.
Us: “Do you want a cookie?”
Owen nods emphatically yes while smiling and saying ‘AHHHHH!’.

He is also inventing other signs such as pointing at his palm, which we have learned means ‘get’ or ‘bring me’, ie pointing at palm, then pointing at his sippy cup means ‘bring me my sippy cup’.

Other examples of communication with Owen:

• When he see’s a clock he raises and lowers his hands and leans from side to side, representing ‘tick tock’. This applies to digital LED clocks as well as face clocks now, or anything that looks like these.
• He makes a snoring sound whenever he sees a picture of a person or animal sleeping.
• When he sees a picture of a chicken he makes ‘bawk bawk’ sounds.
• Dogs are (still) ‘woo woo’
• Hot is (still) ‘Ffffff Fffff’ (like he’s blowing on something, this learned by his watching us blow on his food when it’s too hot)
• Putting his hand on his head means ‘Bonk’, originally this was just for when he bumped his head but now it’s for any collision between him and something unintended or when his toys fall, or when he believes a character in a book experienced some kind of accident.
• He will make mock crying sounds when he sees a picture of someone crying, or hears another child crying.
• He puckers his lips and opens and closes them for fish (like a fish does).
• He cheers and makes other loud excited noises when he sees a large construction vehicle, truck or school bus.
• For cold (or snow) he shakes his hands in front of him and says ‘whoo whoo whoo’ (like shivering).
• He makes a ‘BZZZZZ’ sound when he sees a picture of a bee (or other similar bugs)
• He makes a ‘SSSSSSSS’ sound when he sees a picture of a snake.
• He flaps his hands at his side to represent flying.
• Rubbing his hands together means he wants lotion on them (something he sees Emily do every day)
• Pointing at a cat then patting his lap means he wants us to put the cat in his lap.
• When he hears one of our cats meowing at the door he makes sounds imitating them.
• “BAH BAH” is kind of an all purpose word, but most recently, in conjunction with pointing at the TV it means ‘Bob the Builder’, a PBS kids show. Along these lines he is also now communicating opinions as to which shows he wants to watch by shaking his head no when we choose the wrong one. We have a TiVo and we record several shows for him, so whenever he wants to watch television we have a variety of choices on tap. These include;
  • Blues Clues
  • Bear in the Big Blue House
  • Bob the Builder
  • Sesame Street
  • Thomas & Friends
  • and with all the news about it recently, we are starting to record ‘Postcards from Buster’.

Other Achievements of Note
He walks upstairs by himself now (with us close behind ready to catch him just in case)
He is also finger painting and coloring a little bit.
He dances a variety of steps and arm motions when we play music on our stereo.
… and he’s also starting to be aware of his diaper and occasionally tells us when his diaper is bothering him (by pulling at it), which from what we’ve heard is a good sign towards progress towards potty training.

I’m sure we have forgotten a few other signs/sounds in this, but suffice to say he’s still surprising us every day. We’re a little worried about the lack of english words but seeing as he is mocking sounds he hears, and is making a variety of vocal sounds, we’re not too worried. Not to mention a number of other parents have told us their children didn’t speak until later. We figure as long as he’s making progress and surprising us, things are ok.

Speaking of being surprised, he understands a great deal of what we say, to the point where making a comprehensive list would be near impossible at this point. Some examples, we can now tell him ‘That’s trash it needs to go in the trash can’ and he’ll throw what he has away in the nearest accessable trash can. Or ‘That needs to go in the sink’. ‘Go give that to Seeger’. ‘Go get your sippy cup’ or ‘Go get your tricycle’. If we ask him where various body parts are he will point to them (ears, eyes, leg, belly button, toes, etc). We asked him the other day where his tail was and he gave us perplexed look, but he did look behind him to make sure. (we’re so mean, poor kid)

That’s all for now. We will be posting more pictures and some videos on his website in the next week or two.

-Emily, Matt & Owen