It takes kids quite a while to learn language, both to understand it and to model it. First words usually sprout up around 9-12 months of age. I keep reminding myself of that, because even though my 15 month old hasn’t said a word yet, he’s completely on track. His hearing age is 4 months, after all. It’s sort of, kind of that really. It’s hard to say exactly, because from there is varies on so much. Mentally, he’s sharper than a 4 month old, more aware. But then, he had to spend longer learning HOW to hear with his cochlear implants, because that is totally different from how he heard before he became deaf. So, we say roughly, he should be reacting and understanding the way a 4 month old does.
And that is exactly where he’s at!
He turns to his name pretty consistently. Of course, it is hard to tell whether he is turning because it is his name, or because someone is talking loud enough to pull his attention, but hey – he’s turning either way.
When we eat, I do a lot of modeling of the /m/ sound. Mmm Mmm. Yummmmmy. Want mmmore? Danny is starting to imitate it right back to me! He gets in his highchair and grins at me. “Mmmmm!” he says, watching intently for the jar. He recognizes the pop sound the jars make as well, if he is playing around and distracted in his high chair and I pop one open, he looks at me expectantly.
Very excitingly, he understands his first words too! Frequently (not always – when do babies do things ALWAYS – but quite frequently) when we say “Hi, Danny!” he busts out a grin and waves at us! I especially love doing this in the car, I’ll glance over my shoulder at a red light and say Hi to him and he’ll give me a goofy wave back.
I feel a little silly sometimes getting excited about these things, because my first instinct is to share it with everyone. Friends, family, coworkers, strangers. “Guess what my son did today!!!” I have to be careful, of course. To those near me, they get it; I shared some of these stories with a coworker the other day and he gave me a high-five, busting into a huge smile. But when I’m chatting with people at work from other locations, and they ask how my son is (because it was known fairly far and wide that he was in the hospital and quite sick for a while), I start explaining and get a sort of blank silence.
He’s how old?
And you’re excited that he’s turning when you say his name?
Yeah. So I pick and choose, depending on how much time I have to explain about his deafness and cochlear implants. I love to tell the story whenever I get a chance, because I love spreading the word, but sometimes it just isn’t the right time. There’s a part of me that wonders, though.
When isn’t the time to get excited about the fact that my deaf son waves when I say hi to him, without any visual cues to help?
I’d be excited too, Kel and dying to tell anyone within ear shot!
I think it’s incredibly exciting!