Have you ever experienced the feeling of frustration from not knowing what your baby wants or why she’s crying? Have you ever wondered what was going on in that little head of hers? What she’s thinking about and what she’s feeling?

Well, you’re certainly not alone!!!

But, believe it or not, it is actually possible to discover these little secrets about your baby! By showing your baby a few simple signs based on British Sign Language, you are providing her with the tools necessary for communicating basic needs such as hunger and thirst, before she has developed the ability to express herself through the art of the spoken language.

It has been known for babies as young as 9 months old to communicate to their parents/care-givers when they want to eat or if they want some milk!

Some benefits of using the ‘Sign with your baby’ method:

• Strengthens the bond between parent/carer and baby
• Provides a view into your baby s mind and thoughts
• Reduces frustration for baby and parent/carer
• Encourages early speech development - research proves this!
• Aids memory - using actions to learn re-enforces the memory process
• Enables basic communication with the deaf or hard of hearing, plus other signing babies and caregivers
• Enables communication in silence or from a distance

Curious? Read On!
American researchers Linda Acredelo and Susan Goodwyn (authors of ‘Baby Signs’) and Joseph Garcia (author of ‘Sign with your baby’) discovered the wonderful benefits of using this method of communication with hearing babies. Their research shows that a baby is able to use simple movements and gestures long before the ability for speech develops. Sign is used as a tool for communication, not a substitute and parents are encouraged to say the word at the same time as signing it. That way, the baby associates the word with the sign, as well as the action or object intended.

Both of the above mentioned books are based on the same concept of using signs to communicate with hearing babies. However, Garcia’s version is based on actual sign language, whereas the Baby Signs book is based on made up/home-made signs.

Usually, a human’s predominant form of communication is through speech; and since the incredible skill of learning and understanding speech and language takes many years to develop and flourish, it is not always possible to see into our babies minds before then. But just because they can’t talk to us, doesn’t mean they aren’t thinking!

What the Experts Say
Recent research suggests that babies are learning about the foundations of language and making important connections long before it was previously believed, they just don’t have the tools or skills necessary for communicating them. This often results in temper tantrums due to the sheer frustration at not being able to make their needs known or being misunderstood! Using signs can help eliminate this frustration as your baby’s needs are more easily communicated and understood and therefore, met by the caregiver.

‘Infants can make sense of our complex world long before they can react to it through sign or speech. Your infants understand that communication is going on. They want to be a part of that communication much earlier than they are able to tell you. In their desire to express themselves, they will use whatever mode of communication is presented to them.’ Garcia, 1999, p: 19

Thus signing gives them a head start in communication! By showing your baby signs, you are giving them the tools to communicate their thoughts and feelings before they are able to verbalise them! ‘They know what they want to ‘say’, and with Baby Signs they can say it.’ Acredelo and Goodwyn, 1996, p: 5

I began signing with my first daughter, Kyra, when she was about 6 months old after borrowing the Baby Signs book from my local library. I was so impressed with the benefits we experienced that when I became pregnant with Niamh, I had no doubt in my mind that I would continue using this wonderful method of communication with my new baby.

When I began signing with Kyra, I felt very isolated as I had no contact with anyone else who used this method of communication with their baby. I decided I would run workshops in my area of Devon, to support others using this concept and to spread the word to those who had not yet had the opportunity to use signing. It is so wonderful to be meeting regularly with others using the signing method and to be sharing our advice, ideas and experiences over time.

Will Signing Harm My Baby's Speech Development
Many parents worry that using signs with their baby will interfere with their babies natural and normal speech development. Research proves that these concerns are unfounded, as parents and caregivers are encouraged to say the words at the same time as signing. This way, your baby is repeatedly exposed to the sound of the word in relation to its sign and meaning. Acredelo and Goodwyn point out that you will actually talk more to your baby when using signs than if you didn’t use them. They actually refer to babies who are exposed to baby signs as being ‘bathed in words’ and explain that parents and carers who use signs are constantly on the look out for opportunities to talk and sign, asking more questions, and labelling objects as a result.

While, the above mentioned research was carried out with regard to Acredelo and Goodwyn's 'Baby Signs' (made up signs), it makes sense to believe this would be true of the method of using sign language with a baby, too.

Although, research suggests that children who are brought up in a bi-lingual environment, may show a slight decrease in their language development in the early years (with an equal increase in later years!), this is not the same as showing your child a few basic signs borrowed from the BSL vocabulary. You are not showing your baby the overall complexities of a signed language (grammar etc. - even parents of deaf children may not do this at such a young age! ), rather specific signs which are of particular use to you and your baby. Therefore, you are not teaching them a complete language!

By using signs with a baby, we are not expecting to see perfectly formed baby handshapes which replicate the sophisticated gestures of an adult signer! In fact, we accept, and celebrate, their adorable approximations as part and parcel of this wonderful process of communication, in the very same way we acknowledge a baby's babbles as acceptable attempts at spoken language.

In my own experience, using baby signs has, I believe, definitely helped rather than hindered both of my daughters’ speech development. Kyra now 2 and a half has nearly always been able to communicate her needs to me by using a combination of signs, sounds and words. She is now speaking clearly and confidently for her age and is never afraid to attempt a new word. I believe the use of signs early in her life has helped her gain confidence in her ability to communicate, due to the fact that she has been understood from a very early age.

At 16 months Niamh is able to use over 40 signs, as well as making sounds for a variety of words like mum, dad, down, look and gone. She is able to communicate to me when she is hungry, thirsty, if she’s heard a plane or seen a cat, if something is hot or cold, if she needs my help or even if her nappy needs changing by using signs! Her speech is also developing at a rapid rate and she is just as interested in using vocal means of communication as she is in using the signs!

Why Bother?
It is sometimes argued that there is little point in learning signs when a few months later your baby will begin saying his/her first words anyhow. But I would argue that any constructive time spent on a baby is time worth spending, especially when it has so many positive benefits!! And wouldn’t you just like to know more about what your little one is thinking about? That she’s just heard a car pass by, or that she’s seen the neighbour’s dog, that she’s hungry or thirsty? Or even that she loves and likes you, as my 16 month old daughter often does!!

Devon Workshops
For anyone wanting to know more about the Signing Babes workshop sessions run in Plymouth, please ring Jill or Tony of Virginia House, on 01752 207077 or send an e-mail to Adele Marshall

Author: Adele Marshall

www.signingbabes.co.uk
www.deafsign.co.uk
www.signinginfants.com