Has anyone else taught thier baby Sign Language?
By karawro
@karawro (21)
April 29, 2008 10:35pm CST
When my son was 7 months old I started to teach him American Sign Language. He does not have any hearing problems, but after watching a show about this on TV I decided to give it a try. By the time he was 12 months he knew over 60 signs and could correctly use at least 40. I cannot tell you how much this helped us and saved my husband and me from a frustrated baby. We started out with basic need signs, like milk, eat, more, nap, help, please, thank you... Today he is 21 months and our pediatrician tells us he is very advanced in speech and communication for his age. I really believe this is because he learned to "talk" so young. "baby sign language" should be used much more often. There are so many great websites and books out there to get people started. Teaching very small babies to COMMUNICATE thier wants and needs would save a lot of children from abuse of frustrated parents. (do you want cheese or a banana!?) I wish there was some way to have this taught in parenting classes or recommended by more pediatricians. I know that my son's doctor has started suggesting this to parents! I can get a straight answer from my one year old if he is hurt, where on his body, how it happend and if he wants ice or a band-aid. This has been a God Send for us. If he doesn't remember the verbal word, he can sign it!
Have any of you tried this? What is your experience with Baby Sign Language?
check out this website, its a great quick reference
http://www.mybabycantalk.com
2 people like this
7 responses
@BUSSY1979 (1283)
• United States
30 Apr 08
Nope, why should I? cus the first time that he entered the world, he gave me the FINGER after i said, my first hello!
LOL
1 person likes this
@edgyk8inmomma (2157)
• United States
3 May 08
Thanks for the link. I have a friend who has recently discovered her three month old can't hear. She is considering the sign language for her entire family now, and even teaching a homeschool co-op class. I'm sure this will be a great tool for her, and since I am her child care provider for me too!! She has two little ones that this will greatly benefit, they are 18 mos and 3 yrs.
Ok now for me? I do not know ASL, only a couple simple signs. But my second daughter didn't talk till she was well over 2 years, and it was very frustrating. So when baby 4 came along, and decided to follow her big sister's footsteps, I went proactive. We made up our own little signs for things. Like drink, juice, hungry, pick me up, I want a bite, and thngs like that. It made a world of difference. And now that she is three, you can't shut this girl up. SHe speaks very clearly, in full sentences, and had a WIDE vocabulary. I believe it is because she learned the value of communication before learning how to speak.
@karawro (21)
•
4 May 08
Our childcare provider leaned a few of his critical signs: eat, nap, more, help, cheese, milk, juice, water, hurt. These are all so easy to do even for the little ones. The sign will be in thier own little way most of the time but if you and the parents understand, that is all that matters. I know of many BABIES who were "talking" before 1yr old. For a family with a hearing impaired child, i feel this should be mandatory for everyone to aviod anger and frustration with the one who can't say what s/he is needs.
Go to amazon.com. there are 100's of books and videos. One set in particular is by Joseph Garcia. He is really easy to follow and the video is helpful. I have seen it at Barnes and Noble as well. Good luck!
@above31rubies (1863)
• United States
30 Apr 08
I did do a little bit of this with my twins. Not to the extent you have (I was not disciplined enough to stick with it) 
but even the little bit of basic stuff that I did made a huge difference! I know if I had continued with it, it would have been a huge benefit.
but even the little bit of basic stuff that I did made a huge difference! I know if I had continued with it, it would have been a huge benefit.@karawro (21)
•
30 Apr 08
how old are they? its never too late to start. One video I watched was by a man who started this whole baby sign movement. His children are grown, but even as they were growing up, they would "talk" across the room without yelling. Its a good way to remind a 10 year old to use the bathroom before he leaves a birthday party without embarassing him! I almost gave up with my son but once he GOT it he wanted to know how to "say" everything!! "Help" was the first sign he repeated and really understood. saved us a lot of frustration.
@Rosekitty (19368)
• San Marcos, Texas
30 Apr 08
Hi Karawro..My daughter took sign language as a second language course in High school and now has 2 children and has taught them both..none of them are hearing impared but it did help keep them all from being frustrated..My daughter is 23 and her babies are 2 and 7 mo...the 7 mo. old is just learning and can do the easy milk sign
@karawro (21)
•
30 Apr 08
There are a couple ways to go about teaching signing to infants. I decided on the ASL because IF he ever needs to communicate with a hearing impared persone, he knows the "real" words. In fact, at Disney World the other day, he noticed a group of people signing and went to ask them for water and said please and thank you. I am glad your daughter is teaching them. I was surprised at how young they pick up on things! Good luck to her!
@littletaina (7)
• United States
30 Apr 08
that is such a wonderful idea. i really wish i had thought about that. in my house we speak spanish and english and it was so hard to get my daughter to speak either language. it was really frustrating for everyone because we could never tell if she was speaking one language or the other. my parents speak spanish and they would speak spanish to her all day then i could not tell what she was saying because she would pick up english from other members of my family and combine both. Now she is 3 and they teach her sign language at the academy she attends. it's funny because the other day she was showing me what i thought were hand gestures and telling me different words and i finally got what she was doing. she was signing to me what she had learned. i guess i am going to have to start learning too so i can communicate with her better. we still have issues with the spanish/english combination so we can all be on the same page with sign language. thank you for that wonderful idea!
@techangel (15)
• United States
13 May 08
There have been studies done, and it has been proven that children who learn to sign at an early age develope better speech and communication skills. The things is, children can make physical gestures before they can speak. A child can actually make and use signs as early as 7 months old, yet speech is not developed in most children until about 12 months old. So it only makes sense to use it.
It is nice to begin teaching children at the youngest age possible how to communicate their needs.
I encourage everyone to use it....however many people don't want to put in the tiny bit of effort it takes to teach it. And yet if they would, they would realize their efforts are well worth it!
@sparkofinsanity (20471)
• Regina, Saskatchewan
30 Apr 08
Karawro I think you have hit on the perfect solution to doing away with a lot of aggro for both parent and baby. People think because babies can't talk they don't think. Stupid assumption. My youngest and I played word games with our fingers through my belly before he was even born! I don't know sign language - gosh I wish I had known it then especially - but I swear that kid could count to ten before he was born! LOL Using sign has taught your child to think, associate, and communicate. What a GREAT start in life. Kudos to you and I really hope this idea spreads!
