Today, I am pleased to have local mama and speech therapist Wendy Auffant guest posting about using signs to communicate with babies. I have used signs with my babies and truly believe that my pre-verbal little ones were able to communicate their wants and needs better because of their ability to sign. Wendy is passionate about educating parents about the benefits of baby signs. In the coming weeks, she is offering some (FREE!) seminars in parks around town. Visit her website for more information.
Most of us have been there. The day seems to be going along swimmingly when all of a sudden our sweet, happy baby or toddler goes into full tantrum mode -- bawling or screaming, perhaps kicking or jumping up and down.
Whenever I talk to parents about tantrums and baby sign language, I pull out my trusty copy of the book, Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems. Mr. Willems calls it "A Cautionary Tale" but I find it pretty enlightening.
In the story, toddler Trixie, along with her beloved stuffed animal Knuffle Bunny, go on a laundry errand with her Daddy. During all the fun to be had at the laundromat, Knuffle Bunny mistakenly gets thrown into the washer. Trixie and Daddy leave and are headed through the park when, Trixie realizes that bunny was left behind. She tells her Daddy, "Aggle, flaggle klabble"!
Daddy doesn't notice the urgency and Trixie "tells" him again and again until finally she is "forced" to go into hysterics. She wants so badly to tell her Daddy about Knuffle Bunny's unfortunate circumstance.
Perhaps Trixie is like many little ones whose receptive language (what they understand) is much higher than what she is able to say. The muscles in her mouth and vocal cords have not caught up with all of her thoughts. As a mom, I know
there are many reasons why little ones throw tantrums. But as a speech
therapist, I can't help but notice that so many melt downs happen when children
are unable to communicate.
Using baby sign language is one way to fill that gap and give your little one a way to communicate
with you. It is very natural for babies to use gestures like "no" or
"bye, bye" to begin communicating but there are many more signs and
gestures that can aid in expression. Certainly, using signs can help decrease frustration but I've also learned through personal experiences that signs open up baby's thoughts and world to their parents and provide babies the opportunity to show off their smarts!
Parents often have many questions related to baby sign language. Below are the most popular.
When should I begin signing with my child?
Any baby or toddler who wants to communicate but cannot successfully do so with words is a good candidate for signing. Most parents start signing between 6 months and 1 year. Starting young (4-6 months) also has advantages because it aids in language comprehension and helps parents get into a signing routine ensuring that structure is in place when baby is ready to sign.
However, these parents have to exercise patience in waiting for their little ones to sign back. Some parents find it helpful to begin after baby celebrates their first birthday, when their toddlers are likely to pick up signs very quickly, yet still do not have all the words to express their thoughts, needs and feelings.
Will using sign language delay my baby's speech?
All the evidence and research that I have found supports the use of gestures to increase oral speech and indicates that children who sign are likely to speak sooner and have larger vocabularies when they do start talking. Check out this recent study done by the University of Chicago. I think the perfect analogy is crawling and walking; most babies learn to crawl before learning to walk, yet they are not doomed to spend eternity on all fours. When they are ready, they learn that walking is an easier and more efficient means of "getting around".
How do I get started?
Begin by choosing a couple of signs for words, activities, or objects that your little one is interested in. These are the types of signs that can be used throughout the day. The combined use of consistency during favorite activities will get them interested and help them realize that they can communicate with their hands.
What fate befell poor Knuffle Bunny?
Not to worry. The whole family races back to the laundromat after mommy notices Knuffle Bunny's disappearance. Can you guess Trixie's first words?
About the author:
Wendy Auffant is a happily married mom to a sweet and sassy two year-old. She is a speech
pathologist who has spent her professional life working with parents
and their children around speech, communication, and literacy
development. She works passionately to improve the lives of young ones
and their families.
If you would like to learn more about the power of baby sign language or have specific questions related to child communication
and development, you are encouraged to attend a free event, sign up for
a class, send an email or call. Class schedules and contact information
are available on her website.
Filed under: babies, Guest post
Tags: baby sign language, guest post
I tried baby signs (or one of the varieties) with my first baby, but she began using words before she had mastered more than a sign or two. The second's babyhood went by so fast I don't feel like I had time to think about signing; or maybe I just don't remember.
I will say one thing: I always read that toddler tantrums are caused by kids not being able to verbalize their feelings. That may be true sometimes but it's definitely not the only cause. I know because at 2 Nutmeg was about as verbally expressive as many kindergarteners, but she still threw EPIC tantrums. It was just part of being 2.