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Baby Sign Language; My baby signed back to me! (finally!)
Topic Started: Apr 11 2006, 03:16 PM (126 Views)
Chavelamomela
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aishes chayil
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We have been using sign language with our son for a few months. We have these wonderful videos ("Baby Signing Time") and we use some basic signs in our daily interactions with our son.

Anyway, yesterday, DS signed to me TWO signs!

"milk" and "More"

YAY!!!

Has anyone else taught their babies sign language? We decided to do it because it faciliates earlier communication with our child and allows him to tell us his needs sooner than with words. Can remove much frustration from the parenting routine (especially in the 1-2 year old stage, when babies can't express themselves clearly yet)

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Mindy
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how does it work? how do you teach them and at which age is it good to start? my 7 month old doesnt understand words yet. He responds to his name and recognizes food, the bathtub, and his bed, but how do you teach them words and signs?
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zuncompany
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we don't do baby sign. We were encouraged against it by someone who is an asl teacher. Instead we use asl signs. This way when the kids signed it was much more understood than the baby sign program. My husband is fluent in asl so it helps. Zu had no interest but Tev used a bunch for a while.
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Chavelamomela
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aishes chayil
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We use modified (simplified) ASL (american sign language) signs.

Sara -There is no 'official' baby signs, so I don't know what your friend warned you against (I guess using other signs).

Anyway, 6 months or older is a good age to start. It's never too late to start.

You have to use the signs often, as the more times you use a particular sign with a specific item or activity, your child will recognize it.

If you are consistent, the earliest you can expect your child to sign BACK to you is 10 months, but most babies sign back around a year. (if they have been exposed to them enough)

I was shocked that DS signed back, because I haven't been great about signing.

However, "more" and "milk" (for nursing) I do use a lot.

I have a friend who also does signs and her child signed back "Change" (for diaper change) at around 10 months or so. (her DH was very good at signing with the baby)

I like the videos more than a book in this case, because many of the signs are 'action' signs - movement is involved. It's a lot easier to understand them when you see a video.

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zuncompany
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your right- there are no official baby sign like asl. Thats the problem. There are SO many books, tapes, and videos out though with "baby signs" that are made up signs that are easy for the child to pick up. Thats why it was advised to us to use real asl cause than its universal. Signs like hungry, thirsty, tired, and such are pretty easy in asl. Even I could use them. Tev was able to sign hungry at about 7 or 8 months back. He used signs like hungry, thirsty, tired, and a few others but not much more. Zu never got into it. We did not start as early though with him. More like around 12 months. When he started to get frustrated and started temper tantrums cause we didn't understand him. Tev got the benefit cause we were trying SO hard with Zu when Tev was little so he was exposed right away.
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Jo :-)
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queen
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I must admit we never did any signing
Natanel was always SUCH a good communicator, even at 12 months, that I didn't really see the need for it.
If he would have been annoyed and frustrated coz we didn't understand him, we probably would have done signing with him.
He just got frustrated if he couldn't get what he wanted, not because he couldn't make himself understood - typical toddler :rolleyes: .
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realeez
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Brain Freeze
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I never did it before altho it looks interesting.
My oldest was a very early talker - he was able to say Mezuza and Savta at 9 months old!!! My 2nd son also learned to talk early - had to keep up w/ big brother!
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Chavelamomela
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aishes chayil
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B"H, my baby is a very happy child, so it's not that I am dealing with a lot of frustrations here. However, he doesn't say words yet at 12 months (ba, da, abba, ma, ga, uh-oh), so it helps - and it's pretty cool!!!

This yuntif, my mom was playing "this little piggy" with DS, and when she was done, she put him down. Then he he signed to her "more" so we knew exactly what he wanted! It was pretty cool!

You get such a sense of satisfaction when your child can communicate to you their needs, whether it's verbally or with signs.

Signs just facilitate that communication at an earlier age.

BTW, the videos we use are all based on ASL - the woman who produced them has a daughter who was born deaf, so she used her singing, theater, and songwriting talents to produce these videos.
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zuncompany
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which videos cause most on the market are not asl- they are made up. I would love to get my hands on ones that are asl based. I only know a few signs (I depend on dh to do it with the kids) and would love to learn more. The hardest thing for me to remember is not just to sign but to also speak the word.

Its a wonderful feeling when they communicate. Zu said very very little until he was two and a half so we dealt with a LOT of frustration.

Our ped always told us- communication is the important thing and spoken words will come with time.
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happyduck1979
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Bala Buste
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WE also used simplified with Channah and had a great reponce with it. Espcially since she was speach delayed it was an enormous help. We used the official "baby signs" book and it was all modified asl.
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Chavelamomela
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aishes chayil
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We use the "Baby Signing Time" videos. There are also more advanced words with the general "Signning Time" videos.

Here's the website:

baby signning time
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Karapooz
aishes chayil
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Zusha learned to speak early, and he made up many signs himself. I taught him signs subconsciously- it just came naturally for me to make a motion when I said a word. The sign I did for 'finished' was palm down, and shake hand side to side. At 1 year and four months Zusha made the sign, but he also said the word! So no benefit really, except that it probably helped him learn it faster.
Also, with a first kid, you are so tuned in to him/her that you anticipate the child's needs before he/she asks by seeing their body language.
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