Baby sign language

[1stTimeOct.12]

Has anyone thought about or have done baby sign language with your lo? I been thinking about it and want to give it a go, but just don't know when to start.


.....thoughts or comments?

 

[robinator]

I didn't bother, as I'd heard by the time they can sign, they can also talk. Not so.

My friend's baby can do signs at 11 months, most importantly (to me, lol), "all done" and "more". Watching him do it made me wish I'd taught Lane at least those two, as I never know if she is done eating or not. 14 months in and talking, so it's definitely a guessing game at every meal time!

 

[Indi84]

I do it
Just started from birth really, and the baby classes I do we sign along to songs. Also going to do baby signing classes next term maybe, can start from three months though.
I've been signing, I love you, milk, more, please and thank you.
The songs do sun, moon, rain, friends etc. I just find it interesting!

 

[veryfondoftea]

I'm starting the classes in April when my daughter will be 4.5 months. Apparently it helps babies with learning to talk as well and I love the idea of being able to communicate with her. I've already been signing mummy, daddy and I love you since she was about 6 weeks old!

The teacher of the class I'm going to said it takes babies on average 3 months to learn the signs, so is possible that babies can sign before talking depending on what age you start it.

 

[Mrs.B.]

We are doing little signs aroung the house, do you know of any websites to teach you the basic signs?

 

[erikab922]

We started LO on it just before she was six months and she HATED it - I was stunned! The songs were just too much for her, I think it was all just too loud and too busy. I'm going to see if there's a way to try it at home 'cause the classes were a total bust for us.

 

[teresapk]

i'm just starting with 'all done' and 'more' and occasionally adding 'eat'.
i've had friends who did this and their kids understood the signs mom did to them before they could do them themselves

 

[Lilmiss1]

Ds loves going to the tiny talk classes. The sign language part of it will only work if you really do the signs all the time. I don't practice enough at home. He does know the sign for all done and can say "more" which I find really helpful.

 

[SassyLou]

We also go yo TinyTalk classes, DD is 10 months and absolutely loves the classes. She signed milk at around 5 months. She now signs mummy, daddy, cat and banana now as well.

 

[bookreader]

I have just started with milk, want, all done and more.

 

[Lulabelle27]

My little girl goes to nursery and they teach some basic signs. Izzy us 13 months and can do more, all gone, please, thank you, and we're working on some others. It's great as she doesn't get as frustrated when she wants something! Oh, she can do drink too which is good. I would definitely recommend. Also, try simple signs, called makaton...it's a good base

 

[rjm09]

My friend signs wirh her kid, has since a few months old. 2 yrs old and wont talk. Has to go to speech therapy. I don't want to chance speech delay doing it with my lo's.

 

[ktod]

We do loads of signs in the classes but I stick to basic needs signs at home. I still enjoy the classes even if I'm not using that many signs. I wish I'd known the basic signs at birth as I think LO would have understood them a lot sooner but I couldn't have taken him to a class that early, he was a nightmare newborn. If I have another I'll use signs from birth.

 

[GreyGirl]

My husband and I both work as BSL Interpreters and have been signing a lot with Isabelle from birth. We sign while talking to her a fair amount. Not all the time, but a lot. Hopefully she'll be able to communicate with our Deaf friends when she's older.

 

[beth_terri]

I heard that it delays speach. As the baby can communicate with you via sign they are less likely to communicate via speach so easily. Dont know how true this is though as ive not tried it.

I just had a very good early speaker x

 

[thecatsmother]

the research indicates it advances speech - IF you use the word alongside the sign. just using the sign doesn't seem to confer any benefit. the signs need to be used regularly and in context for maximum benefit. (crais et al, 2009, a macro review of the research). it's the difference between attending a class once a week, and LO hopefully 'picking up' a sign or three, and using the signs consistently at home.

one of the reasons it's suggested it advances speech is because child learns effective communication sooner, and is more motivated to use the words, too. eventually most use just the sign (often alongside a vocalisation such as a grunt or babble), then the sign and the word, and then the word only.

babies can use signs to represent objects (cat, dog, milk) from about 6-8 months, whereas the corresponding holophrastic verbal phase isn't usually until about 9-18 months. similarly, representational signs (love, pain, anger, loss) can be used from about 12 months, with the corresponding verbal equivalents varying depending on the child and their experiences, but not usually before about 18 months. a child who has solid signs at 14 months will usually perform significantly better than his non signing peers at both 24 and 42 month verbal and comprehension assessments.

have seen amazing things with sign, especially when children get to 8/9 months and their comprehension is way ahead of their verbal competencies. as long as their motor control is good enough, they can get their message across tantrum free.

however, with all of these things, the key word is usually.

doesn't work for everyone though. in the same way some children will refuse to use words long after they're capable (with or without sign language training) and then will suddenly burst forth in telegraphic or even complex speech, some will refuse to use signs full stop.

worth trying - i've been using some starter signs (mummy, daddy, milk, cat, nappy) with my baby from birth, and from next week she's at tiny talk.

https://www.handyexpressions.co.uk/baby-signs/family-signs.html has some good illustrations.