Using Baby Signing To Communicate With Your Young Child

Baby Signing..

Around 20 years ago, two American doctors discovered baby signing and many thousands of mothers are glad they did!

There are many reasons why babies cry. You could no doubt come up with a long list of reasons, but frustration is probably low on the list if it's there at all.

Baby can't talk yet but wants to tell you how she is feeling: hungry, tired, sad, my diaper needs changing (although you can probably smell that!) or whatever; but she can't. It's enough to make anyone want to scream!! Wouldn't it be great if you could communicate with baby and she with you before she can talk? You can, it's called baby signing.

Many babies know how to wave goodbye, or shake their heads to say 'no', baby signing is just an extension of these basic signs. There are several books on baby signing, all of which show you the signs you can teach your child.

If My Child Communicates By Signing, Will This Delay Her Talking?

A common question usually prompted because 'my mother-in-law says..'!! The answer is 'no'. A $500.000 government funded survey found that babies using signing were more advanced than other children in language skills. Just as babies learn to crawl before they can walk, baby signing gives them a way to communicate before they can talk. Once they can walk they no longer crawl, and once they can talk they are able to communicate more fully and easily, so there is no longer a need to sign.

Babies Learn Words Before They Can Talk

A recent study has found that children under 1 year old are already learning to match words with common objects.

The study involved 52 9 month old babies who were shown pictures of common objects like apples, fish and chairs during simple games 4 times a week. After 3 months the children were tested: they were shown pairs of pictures and asked to identify one of them based on what the researcher said. The children scored if they looked at the correct picture.

Children who had been through the training sessions looked at the correct pictures, untrained children in a control group did not identify the correct pictures.

So, it appears as though young children may understand more than experts previously thought. Which leads us back to baby signing: if children are able to understand but not yet able communicate through speech, baby signing is surely the answer. How much calmer life with your youngster would be if she is able to tell you what she needs, and you can similarly 'talk' to her.

****************************************************************
Author: Tony Luck who runs a site offering advice to young moms. The site includes the fascinating Chinese conception chart which is supposed to tell you whether the baby you are expecting will be a girl or boy!

Photos: P'kolino To Launch New Line of Toddler Furnishings at ... MarketWatch - Jul 21, 2008 DANIA, Fla., July 21, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- P'kolino (pee-ko-lee-no), creators of playfully-stylish and functionally-smart juvenile products, ...

Library Corner Contra Costa Times, CA - Jul 10, 2008 Lapsit Storytime, 10 am July 16, 23, 30, babies. Toddler Time, 10:45 am July 16, 23, 30. ACT/SAT Combo Practice Test, 9 am July 12. ACT vs. ...

Little Roos gives child care with family benefits Orange Central Western Daily, Australia - Jul 16, 2008 According to Mrs Davis, Little Roos will include an element of soft play and there will be three main areas for play: babies, toddler/pre-school and young ...