[lambeausam]

I second Nancy suggestion for sensory integration evaluation. I have two boys, now 7 and 3 1/2. They were each placed in my home at 2 1/2 years of age. Neither could speak more than 8 words intelligibly. Both began traditional speech therapy within one month of placement. Predictably, two different boys, two different results. My youngest son, M, will be four in April. He has a vocabulary and comprehension of a 1st grader. His speech delay was due to educational neglect. My oldest son, C, is in second grade. He "graduated" from speech therapy after two years. He, too, has an advanced vocabulary and comprehension. However, speech therapy led to a few other discoveries. C has some sensory integration problems, dyslexia, and dysgraphia. The delay in speech, coupled with these other problems, created frustration for him and sometimes resulted in behavioral difficulties - specifically biting. He discovered that if someone had a toy he wanted and they couldn't understand his request for the toy, he would bite them and they would drop the toy. As his speech improved, his frustration decreased and the biting ceased.

I am curious why there is such a rush for your son to learn sign language when there doesn't appear to be a hearing problem. I realize that sign language is also used by individuals unable to speak, but you don't indicate that you have such a diagnosis. It seems to me that learning two methods of communication at the same time would only increase his frustration, and in turn, his behavioral problems.

Based on your observations, I would encourage you to have a sensory integration evaluation conducted. Some of the other posters have offered some common characteristics - temperature insensitivity, noise level sensitivity. Another one I didn't see mentioned in fabric/food texures. Do clothing tags bother your son? Does he steer away from food with certain textures? My son loves food, but does not eat fresh melon or any jello due to the texture.