Baby Sign

The poll results are in! Baby sign is the topic of choice!

So let's hit the "hot button" questions first...

Does teaching sign language to your baby delay verbal speech? NO!

In my previous experience working with children who were deaf and then received cochlear implants, I learned that once a child can use verbal language they drop the sign language.


The same is true for infants/toddlers. Infants are cognitively able to communicate before their mouth is able to produce speech. The mouth and oral language is a much more complex process motorically than using your hands to communicate. So have children use their hands to communicate until their mouths are able to produce speech. Once a child can produce a word they will probably verbalize in conjunction with signing and then eventually stop doing the sign all together.


My theory is that you should "tap" into a child's developing language system while they are young through the use of sign language. By doing so, when verbal language is fully developed they will have a richer language system b/c of having used sign language.


The key is also the model the parents give...whenever i sign with my children I ALWAYS say the word at the same time. Example: "are you all done?" (do sign for "all done").

So the child is getting the verbal language and the sign language together.


When should I start using sign language with my child?

Just like any language reception precedes expression. Most likely a child won't start using sign language until he is 10-11 months old. However, i recommend using sign language as early as you want...as long as you can handle months of modeling signs before you get the feedback of your child using a sign back to you.

For example, I used the sign for "water" almost every time I was holding Quade as a baby and getting a glass of water. His first sign he used was "water". But I started to get frustrated wondering if he would ever use sign language. So if you don't think you can keep using the sign then wait to start signs until your child is 6 months.

How do I teach my child sign language?

1) Limit the number of signs you model to 5 or 6 signs. Such as: "milk", "all done", "diaper", "eat", "sleep", "please" & "thank you"
2) Use the signs whenever you say the word in context (during mealtimes use "eat" & "all done")
3) make sure your child is looking at you when you say the word & do the sign.
4) Use simplified verbal language when using the sign
5) Highlight the signed word by making it louder, longer, & repeat the word and sign.

What if my child can't make the sign exactly like the official American Sign Language?

That's totally fine. Just like children use verbal approximations for words ("mama" for "mommy"; "ba" for "ball"), children use motor approximations for signs (clapping hands together for "more").

What's the best book/program to use?

I don't have a single program/book i like best. I would say get a book or video that shows you the signs so you know them REALLY well and will use them consistently and frequently. Then follow my tips above.

Let me know if you have any more baby sign questions.