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Child Development
What Is Baby Sign Language All About?
by Douglas Titchmarsh
Just after my daughter began to speak, I heard a radio program, and one of the contestants on the shows daily quiz was talking about her interests, one of which was learning baby sign language. As my own child was already talking, I didn’t take too much notice, but it must have struck a chord somewhere because when someone else mentioned it a few weeks later, I related what the woman on the radio had said about using baby sign language with her children.
I took a bit of an interest in baby sign language after that, and looked it up on the internet. I found out Baby signing isn’t just a new age fad with no scientific basis, but there has in fact been a number of studies with very conclusive positive results for both parents and their children. It would appear that there is a lot of research on the subject, and most of it points to very positive benefits of using baby sign language from an early age.
So what is baby sign language all about then?
Baby signing is all about communicating with young babies before they develop speech, using sign language similar to that used by people with hearing difficulties. Children develop communication skills long before they can speak, and visual communication allows them to start telling parents what they need, or want. Much of the research has shown that using baby sign language makes for an easier life for parents and babies, because the infant doesn’t get so frustrated when trying to get what they need, by using a sign they can ask for food, hugs, or let someone know when they have a soiled nappy without resorting to crying.
Are there any downsides to using baby sign language?
Some people have voiced concerns that an infant using signing to communicate may develop speech at a slower rate than a child who doesn’t use sign language. In various research, it has been proven that the opposite is true, the children using baby sign language develop better communication skills, and in many cases appear to start speaking earlier than their non signing counterparts. It has also been noted in many studies that the children using sign language actually seem to respond better in academic learning as they grow older.
What are the benefits of using baby sign language?
Imagine being able to look around, see, hear, and think, but being unable to communicate what you are seeing. Can you see how frustrating it would be? Babies have very fast developing brains, and one of the last things to develop is the power of speech. They are sitting around taking in a lot of information, and having a lot of things happen with no way to express their needs, wants, and feelings. This has a positive effect for babies and their parents as they can now understand each other a bit easier, baby isn’t crying for milk and getting a nappy change, and mommy or daddy isn’t getting worn down by the screams of an unhappy child.
Baby signing doesn’t have a huge vocabulary of signs to learn, but allows some basic communication between adults and babies. There are signs for “food”, “milk”, “more”, and a few others for feelings such as “sad” and “happy”. There’s sufficient signs to make it useful, but not to make it difficult to get started. There’s nothing to lose but a lot to gain by using baby sign language with your child, so why not give it a try today?
Douglas Titchmarsh offers resources for those interested in communicating with their baby using sign language at Baby Sign Language Resources and invites you to join the discussions about baby signing
Img Source: http://flickr.com/photos/darwinbell/23396213/ 
Discussion
2 comments for “What Is Baby Sign Language All About?”
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Tags: Attachment Parenting, baby sign language, baby signing, communicate baby, communication baby, Early Learning, Infant Bonding, sign with baby
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My wife runs a dayhome and she has taught many of the young children that she looks after how to sign. It is a great tool for when they are still to young to talk.
She mainly focused on a few simple signs: thank you, more, please, full, and help. Our baby is due in the next couple weeks and we plan to start teaching sign language right away.
As far as developing speach at a lower rate, I think as long as you teach the sign, as well as speaking the word there shouldn’t be an issue. Eventually the child will sign and say the word themselves.
I have always been fascinated with this but never took the time to learn as we initially learnt the sounds a baby makes (when they are newborn to very young) on what they needed. It was Dunstan baby language.
This worked brilliantly. But once they pass the newborn stage the biological sounds are no longer present so there is a gap between very young and speaking (at around age 2).