BABY SIGN LANGUAGE

[julieb]

Nadia, me & my ped are not worried about the lack of words (just thought I'd share our situation).  She said he's still in the range of "normal," though at the low end.  By 2 years, they should say 5-10 words and by 2.5 yrs, 50 words, half of which should be clearly understood.  She doesn't start speech therapy until 2.5 and she said she's had many "slow" speakers suddenly explode at 29-30 months, right before she was gonna refer them! 

I also have a hard time getting him to eat mixed foods (with varying tastes/textures, though he's had each separately).  She said this is a texture aversion, and along with the lack of words, is a red flag.  She said if I can get him to eat a larger variety of foods, I may see his speech improve since it exercises the mouth muscles.

In any case, I know that the sign language is still stimulating the speech part of his brain, so I wouldn't be surprised if he suddenly starts sentences when he does come around.  He's already putting two or more signs together to make sentences so all of this is very encouraging.  I just have to be patient to hear that sweet little voice a while longer! 

[joannad]

Just a quick lurk to catch up!!
Helena is now 4 months & loves going to signing. When we do favourite songs she gets all excited.

[Marisa's Mom]

We just returned from our first road trip with DD; we went to Monterey. The neatest thing happened while we were out having pizza for dinner. It was kinda late when we went. While eating, DD raised both her hands and put them next to her right ear. It kinda looks like the ASL for "bed", which is what we sign to her when she goes to bed. We looked at the time, 7:45 PM, which was almost her normal bedtime. We wonder whether she was trying to tell us she was tired or that it was time for her to go to bed. We wrapped up dinner, headed back to the hotel, and put her to bed. Could it be? Was she signing to us? I don't think it was some random thing, cuz she doesn't normally do that at any other time of day.

DH got to see DD sign "more" while we were feeding her. We haven't yet determined whether she understands the meaning of "more", or whether she has merely associated the sign with the word when we say it. She can also sign "done", which we do when we say "all done" at the end of a meal.

[julieb]

Sounds like the beginning of signing!  Even if she didn't mean it, if you praise her and repeat what she's doing, it will reinforce the idea that she's doing something that pleases her parents and has meaning, KWIM?  Then the understanding will follow. 

[¤ Efka ¤]

It's so exciting

[Marisa's Mom]

I just can't get over how cool it is to see her signing to us.  And that is the best encouragement for us to try to sign more consistently. Now I want to add new signs!

Do you combine signs when you want to say something like "go out"? I mean, do you sign "go" followed by the sign for "out"?  It almost seems redundant to me since the signs for both "go" and "out" are almost alike, so it'll look like you're almost making the same sign twice?

[julieb]

I string some signs together like "cracker please" or "more strawberries please".  But I think for "go out", I'd just pick the most significant word in the sentence like "out."  I use the sign for "outside," when I say, "Do you want to go outside?" 

I guess it's up to you and how extensive you want the signing to become a part of her life and communication.  For us, it's just a stepping stone until he starts speaking, so I just sign the words that are most useful to us and add new ones as needed (just added signs for "swim" and "video" yesterday).

[joannad]

Speach development - we signed with DD1 ('cos I was encouraged by the chimps that signed ASL when I studied primate behaviour as part of the behaviour unit - years ago- at uni, I thought if a chimp can sign so can a baby!! - then saw about classes in the UK).  I found it actually helped her speach as she was able to communicate early & it spurred her on. I've done some basic signs with DD2 since birth & she recognises the 'milk' sign even though she's not physically capbale of signing yet.

Maire - IKWYM, it's great when they start communicating & it looks so cute! DD1's 1st sign was at 8 months, we'd been signing milk to her furiously all week after attending a class.  She woke up in the night (had slept through from 10 weeks, so we knew there was something wrong) & we checked nappy, wind, teething etc she was still sobbing & this pathetic little hand made a feeble 'milk' sign - DH & I could believe it - was it for real?  So we gave her milk & when she saw the bottle she beamed from ear to ear.  We were amazed she'd picked it up so quick but then we didn't get another sign for a couple of months - just milk.

We also started stringing signs together once she'd picked it up.  We do with DD2 in songs.

[Julie_Elizabeth]

I started signing with my daughter when she was about six months old.  She started signing before her verbal words began, of course, but when she did started speaking, her first words were one of our first signs ("all done") - and she signed it while she said it!  Even how she said it is a testimony to how it works, because she was just over one-year old at the time, and kept throwing her sippy cup on the floor.  After picking it up for her 3 times, I said and signed "all done," and then she raised both hands up like the sign and said "all da."  She still echoes me when I tell her something in verbal or sign language, and I know she understands what I'm saying.  She just turned 2, and is still using all her signs, and is still learning more (I have to look some new signs up for her because she gets bored with the same ol' ones) while her verbal language is growing exponentially day by day as well.  (By the way, I used the book and video "Sign with Your Baby" to learn what I needed to help sign with her - it's an excellent learning tool and resource.)  We have a new baby boy now too, and she signs milk for him when I'm nursing already, so I know he'll be picking up on it soon too!  He's already surrounded by it (and that's how they learn it by the way - like any other language - just being surrounded by it).

[Marisa's Mom]

Even how she said it is a testimony to how it works, because she was just over one-year old at the time, and kept throwing her sippy cup on the floor.  After picking it up for her 3 times, I said and signed "all done," and then she raised both hands up like the sign and said "all da." 

How cute! 

DD isn't saying anything with her signs, but she does sign "all done" when I sign it or say it. But I can't help but imagine her saying "what gives?" when she signs "all done"...    Cuz I know she can probably stuff herself more (she's such a pig!)...

[julieb]

LOL!  I think it's probably more of an acknowledgement that the meal is over for whatever reason -- and why I say "all done" and not "all gone."  Even when I'm sharing something yummy of mine with my DS, we've eaten it all, but he's still asking for more, I say "all done" and show him the empty bowl.  He signs "all done" despite the disappointment on his face.  Sometimes he'll even sign it before I say it!  So he's showing me he understands. 

They're so funny to watch as you can almost see the wheels turning in their heads as they process this stuff! 

[EmMUK74]

Just wanted to share how the signing is really helping us with Rachels speech.  She has been forming words and we have been encouraging her so now she has ca(t) and mama and hiya and tha(nks) and yeah and du(ck) but then this week she was sitting in her high chair saying m-m-m-m-m-m-m and I thought she was just babbling until I saw she was also doing the more sign and so I encouraged her and now we know she is saying more.  I am so blown away that the signing has helped us understand her speech which should then help it develop, signing is the best!! 

[¤ Efka ¤]

Good for you

[RachelC]

I think Jalyn has been trying to do some sign language.  I know she understands it... her body language says it all.  I think she invented a sign for Cherrios.  She wipes he hand along her tray as if looking for one, then pretends to eat one.  This morning I gave her the milk sign and she looked like she was putting a Cheerio in her mouth and then clapped and lunged for me.  I also think she is starting to give the sign for eat when she is hungry.  I love it!

[maxysmum]

am I to late to start signing with max? (he's 8 months). I would love to be able to communicate with him.

Steph