Baby Sign Language

Our newest grand baby, not yet a year old, is talking to us. Well, communicating. Using his hands and face instead of words. Making signs that mean things like: dog, flower, water, food, bath, light, tree, car, bird, etc. He doesn’t know too many signs yet, but enough so that we can connect. It proves that preverbal babies can understand quite a bit before they are able to form words. It’s clear evidence they want to communicate. This baby signing thing has apparently been going on for about ten years. Who knew? We didn’t. There are, of course, books and web sites. (Google “baby sign language.”) According to this recent news article, “Teaching sign language to a baby reduces frustration for both parent and child, increases a child's language development and strengthens the parent-infant bond...Infants who learn sign language also begin speaking earlier and have advanced language skills for their age...”
It’s fun to talk to the baby and have him answer back in sign. He recognizes the sign but also clearly recognizes words. So what if he thinks deer are dogs. What other word does he have to use? They kind of look like dogs. He was close. And, isn’t it interesting that he makes up signs of his own? What does it mean when he jabs his index finger into the opposite palm?  And, if he doesn’t make the sign exactly right, we figure it out. It’s baby talk after all. It’s handy for him to tell you he wants food (fingers to the lips) or water (finger in the mouth) or that he concurs that it is bath time (hands rubbing the chest). It’s always amusing to talk about dogs because you have to stick your tongue out and pant, or flowers which requires sniffing. According to this baby sign web site http://www.babysign-academy.com/ “In just the past 10 years, a growing number of parents worldwide have discovered the joys of using simple sign language with their preverbal babies. Babies can gain control of their hands long before they develop the oral motor skills necessary for speech, so signs allow little ones to express their thoughts and needs without crying or whining - a bonus for both babies and parents.”
No good thing can go unmarketed. “Sign2Me® is a highly respected, established company based in Seattle, Washington. Our primary focus is the development, production, publication, and distribution of print, video, and multimedia resources to help establish two-way communication between hearing parents and their hearing children through the use of American Sign Language signs. Each of our products has been carefully developed with the common goal of leaving the world better than we found it.”
Plus there’s seminars and classes. Who can exist without seminars and classes? Easier is to to buy the America Sign Language Dictionary and teach your babe a few signs and start talking. Dogs is one of our favorite topics.