Teaching sign language to babies

[luvflorida]

I find this concept intriguing and I'm wondering if anyone here has used/uses sign language with their infant or toddler.

My grandson turns one tomorrow and is non-verbal. Carter babbles a lot and can make a string of sounds, but he does not say any words yet. Not even close. Now, I know he is still very young, and I'm not concerned about his intelligence or understanding of words. His receptive language is excellent. I also know it is more common for boys to talk at a later age than girls.

It was something that my grandson did at dinner tonight that made me think about babies signing. My husband and I were out to dinner with my daughter, son-in-law, and grandson. Earlier today, I was telling my daughter about how Carter and I were playing pat-a-cake. At dinner, my daughter looked at Carter and asked, "Can you do pat-a-cake?" Carter promptly pointed at me, then started clapping his hands together. The clapping of the hands didn't surprise us, but the pointing at me did! Somehow, it made me think of signing.

I can see where it would be beneficial for a non-verbal baby/toddler to learn some words in sign language. And, at his age, I'd only want to do it if it was fun for him.

So, just curious if anyone here has taught any signing to their little one.

 

[bumbershoot]

Oh man that's a cute kidlet.

We didn't follow through, but we started with some sign. From his first weeks I started using the sign for "milk". At 6 months, he started using the sign when he wanted milk. If he was fussy for another reason, he didn't use the sign, but when hungry, oh yes. Then we started using "more", which was lovely.

And that's about when we stopped, b/c we could "read" him from what he was doing (babies tend to make their own language with pointing, their own signs, etc, in my experience having 4 younger siblings).

Right around 24 months we started thinking about maybe wondering about maybe thinking about IF we should start wondering about his lack of talking....and then he and I started watching Blue's Clues and his language *exploded* beautifully. (I talked to him all day long, but it seemed that having a male talking "in" the house during the daytime did the trick) No more worries, no more sign at all.


So I definitely love it, even though we barely did it at all. I was absolutely beyond lazy, otherwise I would have done more, LOL.

 

[laughinplace199]

I taught my youngest DS a few signs when he was somewhere around 12 mos. He picked it up really quickly, but when I noticed he wasn't speaking much, I was concerned that he was signing in place of speaking. We stopped signing and he did start speaking more. I have no idea if the signing had anything to do with him not speaking much. It seemed like when we signed less, he spoke more, but that could have just been a coincidence.

Anyway, he's almost 3 now and talks non-stop. The funny thing is, there are a few words, like "more" and "please", that he continues to use the sign for. But now he signs and speaks at the same time.

 

[MichelleinMaine]

My son was a late talker (and often very frustrated not being able to tell us what he wanted) so when DD was born we started signed ~to~ her early. We used actual ASL signs (can look them up on line) but you could use anything so long as you're consistant. There are all sorts of signs for babies books/DVDs, though I never went through any to recommend one.

We'd use the signs at the same time as talking. (such as "Do you want more milk?", we'd sign more and milk.) She picked it up eventually, though I honestly can't remember how old she was. (She's nearly 9 now.) Once we know she could do them, we'd "make" her say it (vs whining, whimpering, sign and you can have more crackers. Whine, nope.)

The signs we used more often were more, milk, juice, crackers, peaches, yes, no, please, thank you. Your favorites may vary, but those got us through life.

Most things I read said that using signs does not impair their ability/desire to speak out loud. DD did also talk late, but her speech therapist said using it helps kids understand the communication process anyway. (As in two people interacting in turn.)

A side benefit, my kids are now 8 and 13 and infamous for asking me stuff on the phone. I can respond a little bit to them with sign language whilst carrying on my conversation.

 

[daisyduck123]

My neighbor's son is now 18 months old and can say many words now. When he was younger, his mom taught him to sign "more, drink, mommy, daddy," and a few others that I can't recall at the moment.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I had a post, but the DIS acted up.

My son has a speech delay, so we began signing with him this past February at 23 months of age.

He signs the words he cannot speak. As he develops some speech, he will drop the sign.

We used the Baby Signing Time videos. He needed more vocabulary recently, so we got 4 of the Signing Time Videos to cover words we were needing.

He does very well! His speech is picking up (though not fully correct). So ASL has not slowed him down. In fact the nature of the videos has also helped his speech as well.

My older girls watch them too and we can sign with each other--and that is fun. You can get an idea across without disrupting.

My sons signing is not perfect though--like baby speak--his fingers do not havethe full dexterity for some of the signs. He signs frog and dirty nearly the same as hand placement and movement is similar. Juice--he can't do a "J" yet, so he just rotates his closed fist. And his "I love you" is open handed b/c he cannot put his middle and ring fingers down yet.

But he was desparate for a method of communication and his vocabulary was exceeding his speaking abilities.

His signs:

Frog
Dirty
I love you
"Orange" the color
More
Juice
Go
Stop
"Surprise" (learned this one recently and he voices "ize" to go with it)
Bicycle
Car
Boat
Bye
Hat
Slide
Cookie
Wait (though he understand when I use it--he's 2 and really has no need to use it himself).
Dog
Fish

He is exposed to a lot more, but these are the words in his signing vocab that I can actually remember at the moment.

 

[golfgal]

I wouldn't call a 1 year old that babbles non-verbal. Not many 1 year old say anything other then maybe mama, dada-although he may be saying words, you just haven't figured out what they mean yet . It sounds like he is right on track. As for sign language, I know a lot of people that did this and it sure cuts down on the frustration for all involved-child and parents-to know what they want.

 

[barkley]

the infant center my kids went to taught some sign language to all the kids from day one. the staff was trained to use some signing in conjunction with speaking certain words or phrases like "all done", "more please", "i'm hungry", and "no thank-you", progressing to more words and phrases as the kids aged up.

all the babies picked it up pretty quickly and it did'nt impede their natural talking.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I wouldn't call a 1 year old that babbles non-verbal.

This I agee with. My 2 daughters didn't have first words until about 18 months or so (but babbled) and on their 2nd birthdays--they had only 5-10 words..but by 2.5 talking full steam.

Thought my son might have been on the same path--but he didn't even babble by 18 months. He grunted and it was all the same.

A 12 month old who is babbling and stringing sounds together is likely okay. But ASL will stll be a benefit rather than a hindrence.

 

[lillygator]

my eldest is 6 and started daycare at 6 wks old....they began using sign language around 4-6 months....when children can't speak it leads to frustation and things like biting or hitting to get their point across ie when another child is trying to take their toy, etc. At least this is how the daycare explained it. My girls learned tons of words before they could actually form their own...their favorite was "more"....as in more food of whatever they were having that they liked!

 

[Keli]

My BIL and SIL did this with my niece. She could sign perhaps twenty words when she was 12-15 months old.
Once we were in church and my dh was standing a few feet behind his brother. Our niece was looking over her dad's shoulder at us. Dh always carries candy in his pockets, something well known to dn so she gave him the sign for 'candy' over her dad's shoulder! LOL it was so funny.

 

[brios86]

We did sign language with our son when her was about a year old. I loved it! The first time he asked me for milk I couldn't believe it. Our doctor thought it was holding back his verbal speach, but irronically, the first words he learned were the ones he knew how to sign. I am definetely doing it again with our next one.

 

[luvflorida]

A side benefit, my kids are now 8 and 13 and infamous for asking me stuff on the phone. I can respond a little bit to them with sign language whilst carrying on my conversation.

A reason I never thought about! Actually, I could use it on my husband. He does the same thing whenever I'm on the phone.

I wouldn't call a 1 year old that babbles non-verbal. Not many 1 year old say anything other then maybe mama, dada-although he may be saying words, you just haven't figured out what they mean yet .

By "non-verbal", I mean using no words and communicating through gestures. Most babies babble very early on, and I consider that as being non-verbal. I can see the use of sign language being helpful when babies and toddlers show frustration (as you mentioned) when trying to express a certain need.

 

[lovetoscrap]

I did this with my oldest daughter and she used a lot of signs. My second one just never picked up on them-- and she was speech delayed and really needed them.

You have had some great comments here from others. The main thing is though is consistancy. His parents have to both be on board with it and use the signs with him everytime they use the word. And everyone needs to always speak the words to him even when using the sign . And use expanded language ie... if he signs "more" then he is responded back to with the sign for more but also the words "More? You want more? Here is more milk in your cup." You have to have that verbal language always going and moving him forward.

We loved using signs and as a PP said, it does decrease the frustration level for baby and adults!

 

[All American]

We did a few signs with our daughter. I loved it and decided to do so for that period of time, like someone else pointed out, where they know what they want but can't articulate it--saved us a lot of grief I believe. Usually, her sign for something like "more" was her variation of the actual sign, but I got a kick out of that aspect. It didn't delay her speech, and now that she's five and a non-stop chatterer, I kind of miss those signing days.

One thing, however, was when I would leave her with my parents or something. I always had to give a refresher course for them one what the sign for "milk" was and so on. Luckily, they picked it up as fast as she did.

 

[NJFabFour]

Speech therapist here who works in Early Intervention with infants and toddlers! All the posts on here have already provided great info and explanations so I'll just add a professional endorsement that yes, signing is a great way to expand upon a toddler's communication and offer them an appropriate alternative to whining, crying, frustration. It will be a great bridge toward verbal language as opposed to a hinderance, and yes, as stated by pp's, just be sure to pair it with verbal communication and put words to the signs/gestures. The video series someone else mentioned, "Signing Times" is what I typically recommend but you may be able to get started and see how he does without it . . . baby sign can simply be your own form of gestures between the family and child and don't have to be actual signs from ASL. Some kids take to this approach really well and others don't want to be bothered with it but from what you describe, Carter appears to be an expressive little fella who will be happy to expand upon his thoughts this way! Cute kiddo too!

 

[koima]

We do signs with my 1 year old, and did them with my 4 year old as well. We did real ASL and they picked it up quickly. I agree that it helps babies express themselves before they can physically verbalize their wants. They definitely understand and want to communicate back! This morning I asked DD to pick up the remote control that fell down - she went and got it and brought it back for me!

DD1 does the signs more, milk, eat, change (diaper), all done, up, please, and thank you. She says Mama, Daddy (Daa-yee), a sound that means her brother (-ahh, where the "ah" sound is the middle of his name, like Max), and tuck (she tucks her brother in for naptime and says "tuck tuck tuck!")

 

[MichelleinMaine]

A reason I never thought about! Actually, I could use it on my husband. He does the same thing whenever I'm on the phone.

Another thing we use if for now is the subtle mom reminders to say please and thank you to others. Instead of verbalizing "what do you say", when they forget, I can discretely sign "thank you" to them so they can say it.

FWIW, we used actual ASL signs because there is a large deaf community near us. I figured if I was learning/teaching them, might as well be the proper ones which may otherwise come in handy later.

 

[2binak]

We started teaching our DD sign language when she was 11 months old after seeing her sign "please" at school one day. She took to it very quickly, learning "more" in just one weekend. We then taught her "eat" "milk" and "all done". We didn't get around to "juice" & "thank you" because she was already saying them. Within a few weeks of starting the signs, she was saying the words along with signing.

We found the little signing she did to be so incredibly helpful!!!! We'd be eating a meal and she would point at a particular food on the table and sign "more" so we knew she wanted more of that food. I think it really helped keep tantrums and frustrations to a minimum.

She's 18 months old now and talks up a storm, but will still ocassionally use the sign along with the verbal word.

 

[starann]

WE did Baby Signs for our boys, but just kept it to a few words

More
All Gone
Milk
Juice
water
please
thank you


We didnt have a problem with their speech, but like I said we kept it to a few words