Baby Signing

As soon as babies are born they start to communicate, initially by crying, gurgling and by instinctive reflexes. However it is not easy for parents to understand Baby's needs.

Learning to talk requires motor skills that babies don't master until they are usually about a year old. However studies have shown that they are able to understand and sometimes respond and reply to signs as young as 5 months.

Imagine how frustrating it must be for Baby to want to let you know they have a tummy ache, or that they want a drink or a story read. Imagine the reduction in tantrums when you are able to respond to ... their more reasonable needs.

Studies show that babies who learn to sign develop speech faster than those that don't.

• at 24 months signing babies were found to talk on average more like 27 month olds
• 24 month old babies were putting together longer sentences
• At 36 months signing babies on average were talking like 47 month olds, putting them almost a full year ahead of their average age mates
• By the age of 8, children who had learnt to sign as babies had a higher than average IQ

How will you know when your baby is ready to begin signing?

There are some things you can look for to determine if your baby has enough long term memory and the motor skills to reproduce the sign. Of course, you are not looking for perfection. But your baby has to be able to at least approximate the sign so you can identify it. In general, most babies are ready at around 7 months. But remember, all babies are different. Some babies aren't ready until 9 or 10 months.

How to know if your baby is ready to sign..

• If Baby can clap or wave "bye-bye"
• If Baby points to objects
• If Baby can hold onto a rattle
• If Baby drops something and then looks to see where it went

How do you ensure that Baby develops speach and not uses only signs?

With the use of songs, signs are slowly introduced for words that have a meaning for baby, for example "more", "hungry", "potty". The signs are always used with the word. After Baby has learnt the sign, it will soon be followed by baby using the spoken word. Baby gradually stops signing when you respond to their speech.

So when can you start

Classes start when the Parent is ready. As soon as the baby is introduced to Baby Signing the better, but it is important to note that some babies don't start to sign until they are around 10 months. Babies are taking it all in and the parent shouldn't lose heart. Bring siblings along too as they pick this up easily and can help with the learning process. Soon the family will all be communicating with sign language followed by speech.