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I heard about a program called “Baby Signing” on the radio tonight. Parents teach sign language to their babies, when they are too young to talk. This allows the baby to communicate with his/her parents and instead of just screaming, he/she can tell the parents what he needs. According to the person on the radio, babies that are raised this way present a lot fewer problems to parents and learn to speak more quickly. Here’s what one parent says.
My wife and I started to sign to our daughter at 3 months, Milk, Dog, Mom, Dad, Bright Light, and sleep. At 6 months old she was asking to be nursed without crying, at 8 months old she was communicating with us for food, drink, play, naps, diaper change, dog etc.. At one year, she was using over 50 signs. Now that she is two, she speaks like a 6 year old, complete sentences, coherent conversations about a single topic, and is beginning to work out written words.
Stick with the signing in the book for 3-4 months and watch your child's vocabulary explode before she's one.
We also believe we avoided a very frustrating time for both our daughter and us by being able to communicate with her so early and telling us her needs and wants.
You know, I have heard of this before, I think either on the news, or maybe in a Baby magazine. It had completely slipped my mind though until you brought it up. I am going to try it. Afterall, I have heard that babies are able to understand words, and communicate long before their vocal cords are adequately developed.
Posted by: Suzanne Cook at February 11, 2004 4:36 PMThere are a couple of books on Amazon as well as some web sites about it.
Posted by: Ted at February 11, 2004 8:11 PM