How to use sign language to communicate with your baby

The baby cries incessantly and the mother acts by trial and error until she finds out what really ails her at that moment. This is a common picture in most families, and it certainly will never cease to be. Some mothers, however, have tried a "different path" by teaching sign language to children who do not speak yet.

The initiative stems from some scientific studies over the past few decades that have shown that babies, before learning to speak, are able to communicate by gestures and signals quite easily. This is especially between six and eight months of age.

The teaching of sign language, by the way, should not begin to be taught before six months, because it is believed that at this stage babies do not have the memory so developed to keep the gestures and motor coordination to perform them successfully.

In the United States, the practice is already more common; In Brazil, it is still new to many people, but it has gained a lot of attention lately, especially through videos on Youtube, where some mothers show how to teach sign language to the baby.

For those who bet on this idea, the justification is that sign language facilitates the communication of the baby with the family, until he learns to speak. But the benefits go beyond that!

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It is worth noting, however, that the baby sign language mentioned here is not for the hearing impaired, but for children who do not speak yet, but will speak in the future.

What are the benefits of practice?

Flavia Calina, 33, a preschooler, mother and Youtuber, is one of the mothers who have successfully spread the use of sign language through YouTube videos. She says that before she had her daughter, she already knew that he would teach her sign language. "I worked a few years as a baby teacher and learned a lot about the benefits and experienced in practice with the babies I taught," he says.

For Flavia, the main benefit of sign language is that it provides an alternative for the baby to communicate without being crying or getting frustrated. "Because when the baby can not speak, he seeks alternatives to be understood and crying is the means of communication they use most," he says.

? Other benefits, as important as the first, are the approach of mother and father with the baby, because this? creates a much closer bond between the family? Since parents are paying attention to their babies and what they mean ?, explains Flavia.

"Some studies also show that children who use sign language early communicate better, have better vocabulary and, over time, perform better in their studies," adds the mother.

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In summary, the following can be highlighted as advantages of sign language:

• Reduction of baby's frustration in trying to communicate;
• It is easier for parents to understand what the baby wants and to communicate with him in general;
• Increased baby's self-confidence in being able to express themselves;
• Enrichment of the bond between parents and child;
• Stimulus for the child to learn to speak earlier and have greater vocabulary;
• Improved intellectual and emotional development.

How to create a sign language to communicate with your baby

But how does sign language work in practice? Flavia explains the following steps:

• The sign language used is usually LIBRAS (Brazilian Sign Language) or ASL (American Sign Language) for those who live in the United States as Flavia. "A new language is not created, but LIBRAS or ASL is used so that the child can also communicate with children with hearing impairment normally," he says. There may be a slight variation from one gesture / word to another for each family, region or country, but generally the same signs are used.
• The goal of sign language is to lessen the baby's frustration in communicating, but also to teach the child more language so that they can communicate with others. "This is a very big additional," notes Flavia.
• To begin teaching, parents must follow “baby steps”: starting with one sign at a time. “I use the sign of the most commonly used word with babies, which is 'suckling'. Once the baby learns the first sign, you can introduce one more and so on. In a few months your baby will be making more than 15 signs ?, explains Flavia.

Just think that when we teach a baby to say goodbye with his little hand he is already making a sign. So, we add to this repertoire the speech of the word in question and the parents making the sign together ?, highlights Flavia.

Note that there are books that can help parents teach sign language to their baby, such as the book? Signs: Baby Language? or? Baby Sign Language Basics: Early Communication for Hearing Babies and Toddlers ?, among others.

Signs x Words: Does sign language hinder speech learning?

The subject still causes many doubts and controversies. But those who bet on practice say the exact opposite. After all, parents will be making gestures and talking to baby at the same time, which may even help more in developing their child's speech.

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According to a study by the National Institute of Health, babies who learn sign language develop oral language even faster than non-sign language babies.

But, it is noteworthy, the use of sign language should be done quietly, respecting the child's time. The idea is for parents to say the word while making the sign whenever possible, under different circumstances, so the baby will learn from the sound, the sign and the representation of what they said. The process should be as fun as possible to be a totally enjoyable experience for the baby.

Videos: Bloggers and moms share their experiences

In the videos below, mothers simply teach how to successfully use sign language for babies.

1. Sign language for babies

Flavia Calina explains how sign language works, which she taught her daughter. And that's nothing more than symbolic gestures for parents to communicate more easily with the baby!

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2. Sign language for babies with Victoria

In this video, Flavia Calina answers some frequently asked questions about sign language and shows some of the signs that her daughter Victoria knows how to do.

3. Sign language for babies? gestures

In the video, Stella Smaha shows how to make some basic signs for babies.

4. Understanding Baby Sign Language More

In the video, Fernanda shows that, with sign language, parents give autonomy so that the baby can express what he wants.

If you liked the idea and want to teach sign language to your baby, start by researching the subject more and more, perhaps with the help of DVDs and books that address the subject. Youtube videos are also great allies as they show in practice what mothers have been teaching their children. Good luck!