Sign With Your Baby

A trend being embraced by parents of hearing infants is the use of baby sign language. Young babies can learn to sign and communicate in basic ways before they learn to talk. The use of sign language with babies helps to improve their language learning and IQ�s, and does not delay a child�s verbal language.

Hearing babies who learn sign language are able to communicate at a much earlier age than children who use spoken language alone, and they have larger receptive and expressive vocabularies than babies who don�t sign. This ability helps to reduce frustration in both children and parents, increase self-confidence for the child, and enrich the parent-infant bond.

The reason that sign language helps hearing infants communicate is that babies have control over their hands long before they develop the fine motor skills required for speech. Signing enables them to express what they are not yet able to say.

It�s never too early or too late to begin signing with your child. The optimum age to begin signing with your child is as early as 6 or 7 months. Some babies may attempt to sign back to you as early as 10 months. Be sure to praise all attempts at signing, building self-esteem as you learn together. Practice signing throughout your daily routine or whenever the opportunity presents itself.

You certainly do not have to be fluent in American Sign Language to begin. You can learn a few basic signs and learn additional signs when you and your child are ready. ASL is easy to learn because many of the signs mimic the idea that is being communicated.

When you begin to sign, choose 4 or 5 signs that interest your baby or that are a part of your daily routine. Words that would help you meet your baby�s needs, or those that excite and entertain the child, are best to start with. Find times throughout the day when the baby seems most receptive and repeat the sign often, as you say the word verbally. Repetition is the key to successfully learning sign language. After mastering a few signs, introduce the baby to new signs one or two at a time, as your baby appears eager and ready to learn more.

There are many resources available for parents who wish to interact with their baby in this way.