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Blog Entry 5 of 5 Fun Ways to Teach Your Baby Sign Language

Tips on how to incorporate the Baby Signs Program sign language into your everyday life.

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Medical Scare: How Signing Helped My Son

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Contributed by: Marion Ross on 9/27/2009

Being the mother of a preemie I have experienced many medical situations. I remember the first time a feeding tube was placed in my son, the pain he experienced after surgery, but nothing prepared me for last Friday.

When I picked Allan(4 yrs old) up from school he wanted to be held and was not very talkative. I noticed he felt warm and took his temperature when we got home. To my shock his temperature was 102.1 and I immediately called his pediatrician. While I was pacing back and forth I noticed Allan was tracking me. Not thinking I signed 'Are you okay?' His reply, no! It was then Allan began to sign shake, breathe and help.

After talking with the nurse, they felt Allan might have had a seizure. She instructed me to call his school back and get as much information as possible. She also informed me it is normal after a seizure for children to regain their motor skills first, not their ability to speak. It was then I felt my heart drop to the floor. After talking with the school I found out my son experienced 2 seizures. My heart broke in that moment. All I could think about was how scary this was for Allan, I was not there to help him and my son did not receive immediate care because his school did not call us.

However, I am extremely thankful Allan was able to sign. I have always been appreciative of our ability to sign, but Friday I realized how invaluable signing with our kids truly is. My son was able sign how he was feeling and helped his pediatrician diagnose his seizures.

Tuesday we drive to West Palm Beach to meet with a neurologist and spend the day trying to figure out what caused Allan's seizures. I would be lying if I said I am not scared, but I have one less thing to worry about. I know Allan will sign to me even if he can't talk.

Marion Ross
Proud mom of Allan and Natalie

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