Many of us don't really think about how intelligent our
babies are when they are born. We often think there are stages of
development that they must go through before we can really start interacting
with them and of course getting them to speak. However there are recent
studies that sign language for babies is actually a very helpful method for
the parents and baby to communicate even when speech is still impossible.
Your baby is going to be observing you throughout the day, especially once
they begin to get their sight. As you can imagine most babies are not born
with perfect sight or hearing. In most cases it takes about three weeks for
the eyes and ears to start working if not a little more. The same can be
said with speech. Speech usually takes eight months to a year before you can
get a few words, and even longer before they are extremely clear. So when
you use sign language with your baby you are going to find that your baby
through observing you can learn the words you sign.
Your baby's first word is usually something they hear a
lot and can form. This is why many say mom or dad, with variations on the
words. This means that with sign language they are going to watch your
hands, listen to your voice, and learn the sign to get what they want. As a
parent you don't always know what your child wants, especially a baby
because they can't communicate with you. With sign language you can teach
your baby the signals for what they want. In other words they will
understand if you teach them a sign for milk, and that will let you know
they want milk or are hungry. There are many signs you can teach your child
as early as six months. It can take until seven or eight months for the baby
to actually start using them on a regular basis, but the tools are there.
When teaching sign language to your baby you want to
choose the more universal approach. Some mothers prefer to make up their own
signs, and this is fine; however, consider what a disservice you may be
doing them. Sign language is used in many areas and is often more universal
than any language. If you choose to teach your baby your own signs they are
not going to be able to communicate as well with others.
The fact is there are many books, DVD's, and other
resources to teach you and your child the universal sign language. This will
help later in life if they need it, and you still get the benefit of
communicating with your child. The main reason behind teaching your baby
sign language is the ability to communicate to avoid the crying and tantrums
that may erupt from confusion. There are also other purposes such as helping
to mentally stimulate your baby to help with the learning process later on.
