Baby Sign Language FAQ's

Frequently Asked Questions

Answered by Joseph Garcia and
reprinted with permission from Sign2Me.com

1. How will sign language affect our baby's language development?
Through signs, babies learn that their thoughts can be conveyed symbolically. For example, a baby may think: "All I have to do is touch my fingers to my lips and my parents will understand that I'm hungry!" Babies also learn that language can be used to influence others. "I can get Dad to put more crackers on my plate if I sign "MORE." Signing lets babies begin to explore and understand the basic functions of language at a very early age. Babies can use signs to choose the topic of conversation. This allows them to direct an adult's attention to the things they want to investigate. All I have to do to get my parents to tell me more about airplanes is make the sign for "AIRPLANE." In addition to giving babies an early understanding of the functions of language, signs help reinforce the meaning of spoken words, especially when words and signs are used simultaneously. Children in multi-lingual environments also benefit from signing. Many families use signs as a common link or bridge between two (or more) different languages spoken in the home.

2. Will signing delay our baby's speech?
Children who learn to sign during pre-speech months tend to speak sooner. A study sponsored by the National Institute of Health showed that signing does not delay the onset of verbal speech in typical developing children. In fact, by the age of two, the children in the study who had signed were using an average of 50 or more words in their spoken vocabularies than their non-signing peers. In addition to giving babies a vocabulary boost, signs play an important role in a child's transition to speech. Communication breakdowns can be frequent when a child first starts to talk. An utterance like "buh" can mean ball, bottle, blanket or bunny! Luckily, signs give babies a way to clarify their messages while they work on mastering pronunciation.

3. Why use American Sign Language (ASL) signs?
It makes more sense to use the signed languages that already exist throughout the world. Using a standardized language not only provides family and extended family members with a unified system of communication, it also can offer childcare providers a standardized system to better serve the needs of all children. When a family uses a made-up set of signs and gestures with their baby, it greatly lessens the chance others will know the signs. By using ASL we open the doors to communicating with so many other people - and we lay the foundation for our children to continue learning and using Sign Language throughout their lives. I think Sign Language is a gift from the deaf community - and I can't think of a better way for us to honor that gift than by using it with our children.

4. Can we make up our own signs?
Even though ASL is taught in the program, there will always be a need for a few special signs for people, pets or unique toys. I encourage you and your baby to create these signs together using simple gestures and movements. However, I also advise that you document these "home" signs so that others who interact with your baby can learn and use them as well.

5. What is the optimal age to introduce signs to our baby?
I recommend that you start introducing signs any time after your baby is 6 months old. Starting earlier will not hurt your baby or the process, but it may frustrate you if your baby does not produce any signs in the first few weeks or even months. Generally, your baby will be ready to produce signs between 8 and 12 months of age. Remember, a baby needs to develop enough memory, dexterity, and cognition before he or she can start producing signs.

6. How long will it take for our baby to start signing back to us?
That depends on several factors. Your child's age, how frequently the caregivers use the signs, and how interested the child is in communicating. The further along children are in their development, the sooner they may begin to produce signs. My research suggests that babies from 8-12 months of age frequently need to watch someone sign to them consistently anywhere from several days to several months before they sign back. Every child and every situation is different. Babies between the ages of 12 and 24 months may start signing within days (or weeks) after the first signs are introduced. Be patient -- before long, you will experience the joy of witnessing your child's first expressive sign.