A Baby Signing Story

Like many parents who sign with their baby, my initial motivation for teaching my son American Sign Language (ASL) vocabulary was to give him a way to express his wants and needs before he was able to speak. Joshua started signing at 9 months of age, and by the time he was 18 months old, he could use at least 80 words, a combination of spoken words and signs. He was able to communicate his needs and wants. He could request a cookie by signing COOKIE. He could ask for more fruit cocktail by signing FRUIT. He could even ask to have the family minivan cooled down in the middle of a heat wave by pointing to the dashboard and signing COLD WIND -- a better phrase, really, than air conditioner! Joshua's ability to make clear requests using signs delighted my husband and me.

Tackling toddler tantrums

I'm currently marking research papers for a class I teach within the Communicative Disorders Assistant program at Durham College. In class we discuss enhancing communication for individuals with autism, Down's syndrome and other special needs. It's inspiring! 'Baby sign language' is becoming more and more common place and parents of children of any ability are more comfortable with the idea of signing with their children. Whether someone uses speech, text, sign or pictures ... any communication helps!

Baby signing makes a big difference during the first two years with a child. My daughter's first sign was "NO" at 11 months and at 18 months she had over 80 words (a combination of spoken words and signs). Typically, toddlers at 18 months have about 10-20 words. That's a big difference when it comes to communicating with your child.

Baby signing - fun in the water

DIYFather.com has several articles about the benefits of using sign language with babies (see
baby sign language can help with ear infections and a baby signing story). Here's a tip from signing coach Sara Bingham for how you can introduce certain signs while you're having fun in the water.

Play in the water with your baby ... in the tub or in a kiddie pool in the backyard. Remember children learn vocabulary best when you related the spoken words and signs you are showing them to sensory items, items that they are feeling while they play and interact with.

Baby sign language outdoors

In my classes and parent presentations I talk a lot of about narrating your children’s day and labeling sensory experiences. Now if playing in the garden isn’t a sensory experience I don’t know what is! Remember though that for your crawling baby or walking toddler, their gardening goals may be different than yours!

BERRY: Use this sign in the garden, in the kitchen or at the grocery store … anywhere you see berries. If your baby is eating berries show her the sign BERRY before she gets one, while she’s eating and when she’s all done her snack (paired with the sign for FINISH).

How to make the sign: Your non-dominant hand mimes twisting the end off of your dominant hand’s little finger. Hint: as if pulling off a small stem from the end of a berry.

How baby sign language can help with ear infections and hearing problems

With the winter months coming it means that cold season is on its way. This may be a time when middle ear infections are on the rise with our little ones as well. The first 4 years of life are critical for the development of language. Early literacy skills also start to develop during this time. Information regarding ear infections and speech and language development is important for parents. Can the use of American Sign Language help during cold and ear infection season? Yes!

Often if a child is experience otitis media or middle ear infections, it means that their inner ear, the area behind their ear drum, there is a build up in fluid that may be infected. Otitis media is very common in young children. Hearing infections are only second to the common cold in preschool children.

Dad dad dad dad

Pyper for the last couple of months has been showing signs of talking, like dada and last couple of days out of the blue has said mum, which we just think is great. Now trying to find out when children talk is a tough one, i have spoken to lots of mothers and fathers about it and it comes down to the child, I know of a 2 year old who doesn’t say a word, now this doesn’t mean that they a disability or anything it’s just about when they want to start communicating.

The last few months we have been teaching her baby sign language which to be fair we could be a lot more consistent but we are doing our best, I would have thought she would have picked up a few of the little signs or even more of the words. But she is sticking to the stuff she knows, da da da and things which don’t make sense to us but to her they do. I actually love it when she starts talking like this its sooo cute, well to me anyway!!

Scott's Weekly Product Review - Baby Signing

Baby Signing -

Here is a nother great Service that I think parents all should know about, baby signing!

Its adopted from signing for the deaf also and believe you me I sometimes wonder if Im making any sort of progress at all.

I had heard about baby signing through another friend of ours who uses it all the time, and she definitely see’s progress!

So what is baby signing then and when can it be used, please see below for details:

4-6 months - You can start signing at any stage with your baby, but keep in mind that a very young baby, in most cases, will take many months before they will use the signs themselves. This is not to say that they won't begin to recognise the signs' meaning. If you begin signing with your six month old baby you can generally expect to start seeing some results by the age of 8 months - if you follow our guidelines.