Communicating with your baby or toddler doesn't have to be an obstacle anymore!

Young babies can communicate in many ways before they learn to talk! Babies have control over their hands long before they develop the fine motor skills required for speech. Signing comes naturally for children, they wave goodbye, blow kisses, point at things they are interested in, and raise their arms to be picked up. Babies can understand language before they can express themselves verbally, so incorporating some ASL signs into our daily routines can give our children the tools they need to communicate with us more effectively.

Signing reduces frustration for both parents and children, increases self esteem and self confidence, and enhances the parent/child bond. Signing will not delay a child's verbal development. Research has shown that signing improves both receptive and expressive language, improves general motor function, enhances the parent/child bond, and can lead to higher IQ scores. The iconic nature of ASL signs gives children more information about the meanings of our words, and signing stimulates multiple areas of the brain.

It's never too early or too late to start signing with your child! Consistent exposure to signs from an early age can produce results (baby signs back) anywhere between 8 and 11 months of age, with some babies signing back as young as 5 or 6 months. If your child is at least 10 months of age, it may take only 4 to 6 weeks before they sign back. Continue to speak to your child about your daily activities and routines, adding the basic sign concepts to reinforce what you are saying and doing. Every child is different so be patient and try not to compare your child to another signing child. The signs won't be perfect but praise any attempt at communication, never show disappointment or force feed the signs to your child. A child will recognize and understand the signs long before they sign back, and they will choose when and what signs to use when they are ready.

Talk to your child while showing these Signs:

MILK - opening and closing one hand repeatedly, like milking a cow.
EAT - bring your fingertips (flattened O shape) to your mouth, like putting food in your mouth.
MORE - bring fingertips of both hands (flattened O shape) together in a repeated movement.
ALL DONE- show both open hands (five shape) palms up and then palms down.
UP - pointing index finger straight up.
DIAPER CHANGE - both closed hands twist together, changing positions.

These signs are different from each other and something specific will happen when you say and sign these to your child. These signs meet many of your child's needs so they will be able to request something from you when they are ready.

Get in your child’s sight line and use facial expression. Keep it fun! Learn signs for favorite toys, animals or activites!