Frustrations disappeared

Adam Matthews, 10, was diagnosed with autism at about three and half. He had started to make sounds and said a few words but then it disappeared.

His parents, John and Wendy Matthews, tell his story:

"He became a very frustrated and cross little boy not being able to get across what he wanted. On his fourth birthday he started a special nursery where they started teaching him Makaton, he took to it very quickly.

"Unfortunately, we weren't quite as fast, but the nursery did a couple of mornings for parents and we started to grasp it. Our only concern was that our son's speech may not come if he was using signs and symbols, but we were reassured that Makaton didn't replace speech, and told that we should always say the word as well as sign it.

"When our son was about five he started school. We were lucky to get him in an excellent school for autistic children. Although he had learnt Makaton at nursery, it was limited. He started school in September and by Christmas he had learnt well over 200 signs, as well as the symbols.

"The frustrations he had slowly disappeared as he could communicate, and as we could understand. We'd also improved, so we could hold conversations. Brilliant!

"Our son is now 10 and his speech is fantastic. He can make himself understood through speech but also signs to back it up.

"We learnt a lot of our first signs through the nursery, but also watched Dave Benson Phillips on the Makaton nursery rhymes video, which was a great way to learn.

"When Adam was four we had our daughter. By the time she started to talk she was signing at the same time, which was fantastic, even though a health professional had told us children can't learn to sign at such an early age. Our daughter had grown up with speech and sign so it was nothing strange to her. She occasionally signed at nursery but really had no need to, except when she couldn't make herself clear and would then sign it in disgust!

"If you are starting to learn Makaton signs and symbols, stick with it. It doesn't slow or delay speech, but the opposite. It helps the speech and makes life so much easier. With our son being autistic there doesn't look anything wrong, so signing also comes in useful in awkward situations with people staring as a ten year old has a strop. Even though he doesn't need the signs it helps take peoples eyes of you so you can deal with the situation, without prying eyes!"

February 2006