Sign language gives families gift of communication
Abby Papirtis is your typical 3-year-old girl. She loves to dance, swim, go to the park and play with her younger sister, Emilia.
What is unique about her is that she is bilingual and has learned a different way to communicate, which has opened a world of opportunity using a language her parents call her own.
For the first time this year, Abby was able to communicate with her mom, Ashley Papirtis, an extraordinary happy birthday message all on her own.
Abby was born with Trisomy 21, also known as Down syndrome. She was also born with an Atrioventricular (AV) canal defect and has had two open-heart surgeries to fix the repair. Even at 3 years old, Down syndrome and significant health issues have not slowed her down.
As early as 6 weeks old, her parents, Ashley and Jeff, began teaching Abby sign language, in addition to many other early intervention therapies. They had no idea of the benefits she would gain and the strides she would make in her language development.
Abby was able to recognize signs at 7 months old
and performed her first sign, “more,” at10 months old. Abby and her mom attended a sign language class hosted by the Down Syndrome Association of Central Oklahoma, where her signing vocabulary expanded.
Growing words
Last summer, for the first time, the Down syndrome Association of Central Oklahoma began an eight-week sign language course for families.
Gwen Cox, who is an American Sign Language educator-trainer-consultant, taught the course. Cox began interpreting 23 years ago and worked as the creator of Teachers Network as the director for the original company that started a program of promoting signing to hearing children located out of Seattle.
She has traveled from coast to coast, presenting at educational conferences about the benefits of signing with hearing children. Several years later, she was hired by “Signing Time,” the television show on PBS, to help create a Teaching Academy for the show all over the world.
The Papirtis family attended the classes taught by Cox, and from the first session, it connected for Abby. She absorbed all the new signs and expanded her signing vocabulary quickly. It was through Cox’s class, watching “Signing Time” and her parents’ reinforcement, that Abby learned how to sign in sentences and was able to recall events to communicate with her family, having a real child-parent conversation.
“For us, this was a huge help. Abby can communicate what she needs, we can understand her, other family members are learning signs and they have become more interested so that they can talk with Abby,” Ashley Papirtis said.
According to the American Sign Language University, the use of sign language is beneficial for children in many ways. When parents teach sign language to preverbal babies, it enables them to communicate more effectively. It has also been a successful intervention for children with special needs like Down syndrome.
Research has shown that sign language reduces frustration in children, enabling them to have a voice of their own and express themselves before they know how to talk. It increases bonding and an understanding of specific needs such as hurt or hunger. A study, funded in 2000 by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, showed that young children who learn sign language speak sooner than other children (Glairon, 2003).
Teaching moments
Abby is now teaching her entire neighborhood about sign language. Friends ask her mom all the time how to sign specific things, so they, too, can communicate with Abby.
It has been especially important to talk to Abby about what is getting ready to happen when she is having a medical procedure or a routine doctor visit. She can tell the doctors and nurses where she is hurting, and shecan make it fun by telling them “goodbye” or “see you later.”
Recently, Abby has started teaching her younger sister certain signs, so they can communicate and play together. Her sister’s most recent sign is “baby doll.” One of the most heartfelt and endearing moments was Abby signing, “I love you, mom,” and singing “Happy Birthday” in sign language for the first time a few weeks ago.
Because of early intervention therapies like sign language classes at the Down Syndrome Association of Central Oklahoma, Abby can tell the world what she thinks, needs and wants.
“I love sign language, and I am very passionate about it because it has been so beneficial to our family,” said Ashley Papirtis. “It has decreased the frustration levels for Abby because she doesn’t have to point or repeat herself. I can have a clear and meaningful conversation with my daughter. Because of sign language, I can hear and see her say, ‘Mommy, I love you!’ which is the most beautiful thing to experience as a mom. Abby is such a huge blessing to our family.”
The Down Syndrome Association of Central Oklahoma is hosting its second Sign Language Course for families. The classes are held from 1 to 3 p.m. every Saturday through July 14 at the YMCA at Mitch Park, 2901 Marilyn Williams Drive, in Edmond.
Sarah Soell is executive director of the Down Syndrome Association of Central Oklahoma and a mother of a child with Down syndrome.