She helps them incorporate signs into everyday life in a fun way involving books and songs and, most importantly, ways that motivate the child to really want to communicate. She doesn’t necessarily teach the entire ASL language ... just a basic sign vocabulary that makes all the difference in the world.

Annika Farris, 4, is a Cold Lake girl with an extremely rare condition known as Ohdo Syndrome. It's so rare that only 28 people worldwide have been diagnosed. Farris is one of two Canadians with the condition.

“The biggest hurdle is that if you cannot communicate to the point where people understand you, people think you're dumb,” said Nicole Farris, Annika's mother, correcting this falsity by stating that in many cases they are as smart as other children and have superior memories. “People with Ohdo are not stupid.”

Before taking ASL classes, Farris could speak about three or four words (hi, bye, mom and dad), and even then not very often. She cannot walk, has no muscle tone, no reflexes, and severe fine and gross motor skills delay, making speech and signing difficult. There are some similarities with autism to her disorder.

Since taking ASL classes, Farris has made tremendous progress, and her whole family has had fun learning signs and more importantly how to use them so the little girl would pick them up.
Baggaley said that Farris had fun, especially signing to the music parts of the class. Now she is even speaking more words for the first time! She is constantly trying them out and loving her newfound communication.

“She is a rare, special little girl,” said Baggaley.

Together her whole family (mother, two sisters and a preschool aid, Sherry MacQueen) has learned the sign and songs. They use the signs at home and at school, creating an environment where everyone uses signs with spoken words. The preschool is even using the signs! By using the same techniques used with babies, (Key ASL vocabulary used simultaneously with spoken words in everyday life), speech delayed kids have been helped tremendously with their ability to communicate with signs and speech. As a result, Annika has made more progress than ever before with signing and speaking.

Baggaley encourages parents with special needs to take her story to heart because there is hope for your language-delayed child. It may seem strange to use sign language with a hearing child, but the added visual stimulation and association helps them.

Signing provides a means of communication for children with various types of language delays or impairments, including: Down Syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, apraxia of speech, aphasia, learning disabilities, and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

Signing also provides a means of communication for children with various types of medical conditions or situations, including: tracheotomized infants, delays of prematurity, short-term Illnesses, post-surgical conditions that inhibit normal speech, and side effects of chemotherapy resulting in an inability to speak.

The classes are taught at Baggaley's home at 4 Wing, in Martineau. Baggaley's 10-month old son loves Annika and her family, and it's touching to watch them play together. It’s a very relaxed atmosphere, which helps with the fun learning process.

Baggaley is interested in speaking with other ASL signing children in Cold Lake. If so, she hopes they will attend one of her classes some time and help them sign. She believes it would be a nice experience and possibly a self-esteem boost for them. Baggaley said that intends on writing a book that compiles the success stories of special needs children using sign language.

The next six-week session of baby sign language classes continue Wednesday, May 3, from 10-11 a.m. Babies are encouraged to attend with parent. If there are groups of four or more, she may be able to arrange an additional class on another day and/or time. She also offers, for parents unable to make the six-week commitment, intensive Saturday workshops, that are two Saturdays in a row from 1-4 p.m. that cover same material as the six-week course. These are for adults only. The next weekend workshops are April 22 and 29.

Times and dates for special needs classes can be customized for the child.

Children with special needs gain a means of expressing themselves and connecting with their care-giving adults, as well as with typically developing children familiar with ASL signs. Signing can help create an educational environment where all children can successfully learn and socialize, no matter what special needs they may have.

By Chris Miller
http://www.coldlakesun.com/story.php?id=224035