One of the challenging things about children who do not yet speak is understanding their needs and wants. As a nanny, I’ve encountered many moments where I find myself asking a child, “Do you want this?” while I point to one object after another, attempting to translate the grunts or crying.
Although American Sign Language (ASL) is used in the United States and Canada by the Deaf community, it is beneficial for children who are not deaf in their speech development and communication. Babies can understand more than what they’re able to express, and sign language makes a way for two-way communication between a child and someone in their environment.
Many signs reflect their meaning, such as “drink”. To make this sign, you form a “C” with your dominant hand and hold it up to your mouth as if you’re taking a sip. Signs like this are iconic, in that they represent what they mean. These signs are easier for babies to learn,but babies can also understand the meaning of e signs that do not resemble what they stand for when they are used in context with repetition.
Babies can begin to produce signs around 8 to 10 months if they are regularly exposed to signs from six months of age. When you talk to your baby, you can point and sign or show them a picture of something that is familiar to them and their environment, followed by the sign.
It is without a doubt that babies face communication challenges when they are not able to express their needs and wants. Teaching baby signs such as food, milk, mom, dad, or sleep, are helpful with reducing stress both for a child and parent or other adult.
I have often heard parents express concern that teaching a child sign language might impede the child’s speech development if they are not deaf and ASL is not their family’s first language. On the contrary, some babies that learn to sign early on also speak earlier. Using sign language will increase your child’s vocabulary skills. Through sign language, children are able to have conversations with their parents before they say their first word or sentence. Signing also increases the bond between a baby and the person they are communicating with.
How does one then teach a baby to sign? The first thing to think about is what needs and wants the child may want to express and who are the people in their environment. You would then have to learn the signs for the respective words, and ensure that you are signing them properly.
When an infant is six to eight months old, they are able to hold a gaze for a few seconds, allowing you to show them the sign and give a visual. For example, if you are teaching a child the sign for “milk”, you can do it at a time that is natural for their routine. You might get a bottle ready and say, “Let’s get your milk ready!” or “Here is your milk”, and follow it with the sign. It’s best to start with three to five signs using eye contact and saying the word out loud. If you see that the child is moving their hands in an attempt to produce the sign, help them create the handshape necessary. When a child starts to mimic you and produces a sign, you can then introduce a new sign. Don’t be discouraged if at first they aren’t interested or it seems that they aren’t understanding. Consistency and patience are key in seeing the results. Encourage other family members or caregivers to learn them as well.
When babies learn how to sign it benefits their communication through seeing, hearing, and movement, which helps their memory and later helps in learning the alphabet, numbers, and animals. Babies who sign also show improvement in language skills, creativity, and problem-solving.
It is important to note that sign language is different from gestures. Signed languages have rules and parameters that are used by the deaf community. Gestures on the other hand, are hand movements that are made to communicate, but they are not shared by large groups of people. They vary from house to house. If you choose to teach your baby American Sign Language, be mindful to learn the signs properly out of respect for people in the deaf community.
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