International adoption is a great opportunity for families. And bringing small children into your home—whether biologically yours or not—comes with its own set of challenges. Big opportunities for success come in the early stages of the child’s adjustment into their new home. Australian Baby Hands wants to help you ensure early wins during this process. One of the keys is to ease frustration for these children who may have difficulties communicating due to language barriers.

Your adopted child may be exposed to a whole new language which they need to learn or you may continue to use their native language and introduce a second language. If exposing them to the new language of their adoptive country, baby sign language will help bridge the gap of communication while they make the connections of what it is you are trying to say in this new language. If you want to use two languages with your adopted child , baby sign language will provide a common sign for words in both languages, helping to make the transition and understanding process a little faster.

It is easier to learn new signs compared to learning new sounds/languages. New sounds require the “complex use of facial muscles including the formation of lips, the use of the tongue and controlling of vocal chords, among others.” As a lot of signs can be iconic; symbolize what you are trying to communicate, it can make learning sign language a little easier.  Baby Sign Language research has also highlighted that using sign language helps children remember the word as they are using both hemispheres of the brain when they sign.

Studies have shown that adoptions from homes and those from orphanages are very different. A child coming from an orphanage may encounter a delay in the development of their social skills (Center for Adoption Medicine). International adoptions bring with them the culture shock. Language is just one of the challenges facing your new buddle of joy. The child might not have  never encountered or developed a taste for the foods your family enjoys, or they may have unknown fears you would not expect. When they are not able to express this the result is frustration such as throwing tantrums . Let’s help soothe the child, empower them to communicate, and bring peace into the home.

Start communicating with signs. This bridges the gap and helps you and your child bond faster. Your child is never too old for baby sign.  If there is a communication barrier such as language, baby sign language can provide a tool for your child to help them be understood and bond with you much earlier than waiting for them to acquire a new language.

So let’s recap. Communication is a powerful tool when adopting internationally because it eases the child’s physical frustration to communicate, builds a quicker bond between you and your child, and gives them a jump start to their education. And lastly, in case of illness, injury, or another emergency your child can more quickly help you identify the reason for alarm.

I recently read an article which highlighted in a table the differences between a signing baby and their non-signing counterpart in language acquisition.  This table appeared on an American blog called Baby Sign Shine and I thought it would be great to share it with all you Aussie parents and create an Australian version of the table below.  If you could spare 30 seconds, I would really appreciate your input to understand the key milestones Australian parents are experiencing in relation to language acquisition with their signing baby.   ASL below refers to American Sign Language, the signing system used in the U.S.
Here are the key milestones some American parents have been experiencing.

Language Acquisition of Hearing Children

As highlighted in the international research on baby sign language, it has been found it be very beneficial for language development and vocabulary building.  This is clearly demonstrated in the table above.  Not alone were children speaking at an earlier age, they were using a more extensive vocabulary and had the language skills of children more senior than them.

I believe that parents involved in the production of the above chart would be parents who began introducing baby sign language from day one.  “When should I start signing to my baby?” is one of the most common questions I get.  What I have found since starting Baby Hands is that parents who begin signing with their baby from day one generally get a sign back from their baby before parents who start at the 4-6 month mark.

By starting at day one, you are getting yourself into a routine in relation to everything concerning your baby and baby sign is just one of those things you include in that routine.  I have had many emails over the years from parents who started on day one and experienced their first sign back before the six month mark.  The youngest signing baby I was emailed about signed back at 4 months of age – that means the Aussie version of this table would look a little different.

But not all parents are able to start signing on day one, so do what is right for you.  You can still experience the benefits of baby sign but it would not be at the levels highlighted in the chart above.

Between 6 and 12 months of age, a lot of parents can experience the first sign back or the 10^th sign back.  The chart above highlights 75 signs at 9 months of age. Different parents have different reasons and expectations for baby sign language.  I have had parents whose children have a signing vocabulary of 10 words at 12 months and others who have over 100 signs.

My advice is to keep baby sign as a fun activity you do with your baby, don’t let it stress you and you will reap the rewards.  As long as you are reducing the frustration experienced as a result of pre-verbal communication and you can understand your baby’s needs and wants, that’s the most important thing.

I generally find that the signing explosion happens in kids after the 12 month mark.  Baby signing and the signing explosion will depend on a number of factors including:

• The balance of motivational and practical signs
• The number of people signing to the child
• The consistency of signing by those involved in the process

Once your baby has acquired 6-10 signs, you can begin to introduce small sign sentences to them.  Examples of this include “more milk”, “milk please” or “book finished”.  This is a great way to help your baby with language acquisition so when they do go to speak they understand they can group words together and make small sentences.

The chart above highlights the first real words from signing babies at 12 months of age.  What parents have fed back to me is that once their baby begins to speak, their speech is generally quite clear and they generally speak at an earlier age to those who are not using baby sign.  Many Baby Hands parents have been given compliments about their baby’s vocabulary, the large words they are able to pronounce and their understanding of words in general.  The big key to the table above is baby sign introduces a child’s understanding of language from a young age and this enables their communication, language development and vocabulary to grow from that point also.

Help Us To Create Our Aussie Signers Survey

I would love to get your feedback and experiences so we can create the Aussie version of the above chart.  Let me know what your experiences have been as you went through the various age brackets, how their sign developed and the impact of language and vocabulary.  I have created a quick multiple choice questionnaire to help to collate your responses. 

Please fill in the form below or you can go to the direct online version here:

Many parents wonder what will happen to their children’s signs as they get older and if there is any benefit in continuing to use sign language with them.  Will they continue to use their signs once they develop speech?  If so, what is the benefit of using sign language with verbal Pre-schoolers?

Baby sign language is not only beneficial for pre-verbal children but it has also proven to be beneficial for verbal Pre-schoolers.  It is never too late to introduce to sign language to your child and to begin experiencing the benefits.

So what are these benefits?

In the early 19th century, educators realized that sign language helped the hearing siblings of deaf children learn to read. Due to political reasons, no further study on this topic was pursued until the 1970s.   It was at this point that researchers found that the hearing children of Deaf parents actually learned to read before they began school if their parents signed and fingerspelled to them. It was believed that this was due to the fact that children were exposed to manual letters through fingerspelling and printed letters through reading and had made a connection.

But did hearing children experience the same results?  Yes they did and this was confirmed in more recent sign language research.

A researcher in this field, Dr Marilyn Daniels highlighted that sign language increased the verbal vocabulary as well as knowledge of sight words, letters of the alphabet and phonetic sounds for pre-schoolers. She concluded that a preschooler’s vocabulary can be improved if vocabulary is presented visually, kinesthetically as well as verbally. This research also highlighted that not only did the kids find using sign language fun and engaging; it also helped them retain the information for a longer period of time.  This is because signing uses both the left and right hemisphere of the brain and uses a variety of learning styles including verbal, visual and kinesthetic.

Signing and singing songs with preschoolers is a fun and educational way to use sign language with your pre-schooler.  How many children do you know who love to do the actions to songs such as “Incy Wincy Spider”, “The Wheels on The Bus” or “Twinkle Twinkle”?  By introducing the signs in songs and nursery rhymes, research highlighted that children had the largest increase in vocabulary when compared to their non-signing counterparts.

Even if your child has not learned sign language as a baby or a toddler, it is not too late.  Don’t let this in any way stop you from introducing them to signing as a pre-schooler. When you begin signing to your baby, you are providing them with a tool to communicate while they are pre-verbal.  With toddlers parents use sign language for a variety of reasons including language development, vocabulary building, toilet training, teaching manners  and also for fun.   For pre-schoolers, parents use signing for a number of reasons.  These include vocabulary expansion, enhanced language skills, development of reading skills and the learning of core educational concepts such as the ABCs, Rhymes, Colours, Numbers and more.

So to get started as a parent, I would introduce your child’s favourite 5-10 words with sign and then also introduce an additional 5-10 words with signs to their vocabulary.  You can combine these signs to make small sentences which will help with their language development.  You can also start teaching them the ABC’s and introduce the AUSLAN alphabet.

Here is a video of a young girl practicing her alphabet using Auslan which is very cute:

Whether they are a baby, toddler or pre-schooler, your child’s development can be transformed through the simultaneous use of signed and spoken language.

Let me know how you have found signing with your toddlers after using sign with them as a baby.

Did you keep it up?  Or did you just let the signs drop off as they got older and began to get more verbal.

If you did maybe now’s the time to think about taking it back up again to help your child’s early learning or if you haven’t started yet and you baby is talking it’s still not to late to get the wonderful benefits of using sign with your little one

What’s the definition of motivational signs? Parents approach this definition differently and the result is different parents introduce different motivational signs.

The key difference is that by introducing motivational signs correctly some babies will be signing back a lot sooner than others.

So I thought I would try and highlight a couple of the most common motivational signs I have seen and how they have resulted in a signing success story.

When I refer to motivational signs in my book or dvd, I am referring to signs or words that your baby will find exciting, fun or interesting and will want them to learn more. Each baby is different and will find different things interesting and fun but what I have found is start slowly and only choose a couple of motivational signs to get started with (2 or 3). So if you only have 2 or 3 signs to choose from, what ones will make the most impact, result in a signing success story?

A friend of mine, Vanessa introduced Baby Hands baby signing to her son from 5 months of age. She introduced some of the common signs of milk, more, mum, dad and eat. She understood the importance of being consistent with her signing and signed each day and got Dad involved in the process too.

After a couple of months I got a deflated email from her wondering why it wasn’t working. I checked the signs she had introduced. I then asked her what her son liked, had fun at, got excited about. She instantly said books and when she reads a book to him. So she introduced the sign for book and within a couple of weeks, Vanessa had her first sign back and the signing explosion soon followed. Reading with your baby has many benefits including introducing and reinforcing baby signs with your child.

For all you mums and dads out there, the signs for mum and dad are great but they may not be as motivational as the sign for bath, book, teddy bear, music or any animal sign. Some parents think that introducing mum and dad signs may cover the motivational signs but for baby, this may not be the case.

As well as introducing your mum and dad signs, think of things your baby loved to do and try and also include those “fun” signs in your daily routine. This will make a massive difference to your baby’s signing journey and the time it takes for you to get your first sign back.

Another way to accelerate the signing process is to sing and sign and combine it with your motivational or “fun” signs. Research has highlighted that singing and signing is great to help enhance your baby’s vocabulary. Does your baby like animals? If so, why not try singing “Old MacDonald” and sign the animal you choose to include. This is simple, fun and something easy you can do regularly with your baby.

So to recap, choose your motivational signs wisely. Think fun, exciting things that your baby loves and introduce those signs. Introduce them through your routines of the day, through play time by singing and signing or at bed time with a story. Stick to your 5-6 signs and be consistent and it won’t be long before you too are sending me your own baby signing story. I look forward to receiving it! ☺

How many of you have previously travelled with a baby, toddler or young child? How many of you have travelled with more than one child? With school holidays fast approaching, many families have already booked their holidays. Whether it’s a long or short journey, kids need to be entertained. Have you ever thought about using baby sign language to entertain your kids while travelling?

Over the past 6 months I have travelled both domestically and internationally and witnessed parents using different tactics to entertain their children while travelling. Some used portable dvd players, some had toys, some had books and some had timed the travel so it coincided with sleep time but no one seemed to be using baby sign language. So I thought I would use this opportunity to highlight how you can use baby sign language for a less stressful journey.

So why would you use baby sign language over any of the above methods mentioned? Baby sign language is a fun, educational interaction which when used while travelling can expose you to the many benefits of baby sign language.

One benefit which is great if you are travelling on public transport such as buses, planes and trains is how quiet but fun it can be. On all modes of transport you will have an assigned seat where you need to stay until you have reached your destination. The problem is getting a toddler or young child to sit still can be quite a task. So here are some ideas for making travel a more peaceful, stressful, fun experience for you and your child.

Use Your Surroundings:

When travelling, you can use both the surroundings inside as well as outside to have fun with using baby sign language. Using the signs, “where”, “yes” and “no”, you can sign “where” and add a sign after it for whatever it is you want your child to point to. For example Mum signs “Where’s teddy?”.

You would then encourage your child to point to the teddy and sign teddy and you could sign back “yes teddy” or “no” if they point at the wrong thing. When they get it right, you can use the signed round of applause sign which is having both hands bent at the elbow, hands at shoulder height, palms facing out and rotate your hands from side to side by moving your wrists. This is a great way to do a round of applause silently.

Your surroundings could include some of the following: “bird”, “blanket”, “book”, “drink”, “house”, “milk”, “music”, “rain”, “sun”, “water”, “toilet”, “brother”, “mum”, “dad”, “sister”, “aunt”, “uncle”, “car”, “dog” etc. These are just a sample of word from the Baby Hands book & dvd to get you started.

You can also build on this vocabulary to include signs such as “up, down, clouds, plane” if you are travelling on a plane. If travelling on a train or bus, you can include signs such as “tree”, “animal”, “fast”, “slow”, “stop”.

Use Books:

As well as reading with your baby to try and entertain them on your journey, playing baby sign language games is a great way to keep them entertained. Using the illustrations, you can play the “where is” game mentioned above.

The ABC signs can be really fun for kids of all ages. Using your alphabet book from home, sign a letter and then have your child find the letter in the book. Use the “applause” sign to celebrate with your child when they are correct. This is a great game to play with siblings as both older and younger kids love to sign and it will also help encourage sibling signing.

This game could go on for quite some time if you are to go through all letters of the alphabet. If your child is a little older, they can sign to you and you can find the letter.

Once you are finished with the alphabet, there are always numbers to play with. Use a book and ask “how many” of a particular item they see. You can count for them or with them and sign along as you say the numbers. You will be amazed at how fast they will pick it up.

Finally, you cannot forget your animals and colours. For colours, sign “where” and ask your child where a certain colour is on your shirt, his shirt or in the book. You could also point to colours around the airplane and encourage your child to sign the colour.

For animals, many books consist of stories about animals. Again, sign “where” and have the child find the page on which that animal can be found. All kids love animals and animal signs. Once you have found all the animals in a book, you could then try singing “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” and add the animals in the book. Its great fun and your kids will love it!

Another option is to read with your baby while signing which is a really is a great way to help your child learn the signs and feel engaged in the story.

So next time you go travelling, why not try some of the baby sign language travel games mentioned above and let me know what success you had.

Happy Travel Signing!

I have just spent the last two weeks at home in Ireland visiting friends and family and got to catch up with lots of new baby’s that have been born.

These babies ranged in ages from 3-6 months and there were an equal split of boys and girls. Of these 6 children, one mum had actively decided to try baby sign language from day one, some decided to wait until their baby was at the best age to start baby sign and some had not made a decision as yet.

The one thing I noticed with all the parents of these babies is that, while they had not decided to do baby sign language just yet, all of them were using signing unknown to themselves.

For many years, I have spoken about how easy it is to introduce baby sign language using Auslan into your home as a lot of Auslan signs symbolise the action that you would do naturally.

Looking on at these parents it was fantastic to watch them use their hands to communicate with their babies, unbeknown to themselves. One mum moved her hand to the side of her face as and placed her face on it, each time it was time for bed. The sign for bed / sleep is this same action. Another mum was moving her hand to her mouth each time she was offering her baby a drink, the same action in baby sign language for drink.

If these mums are consistent with their signing, they could soon find that their babies could be returning these actions/gestures back to their parents.

However, as many parents have discovered, to help with your baby sign language success, it is important you balance practical signs with motivational signs.

Examples of practical signs would be eat, drink, sleep, change etc while practical signs are signs that motivate your baby to learn more – what they are interested in. These signs differ from baby to baby but examples include teddy bear, music, book, car, cat, dog etc.

An example of a motivational sign in action happened when I was at home also. A dad was telling his daughter how he was going out to town in the car and would be back soon. As he said car, he moved his hands like his was steering a wheel and made a “beep beep” sound.

As well as engaging his 4 month old daughter his two older boys (aged 3 and 5) loved this expression and were copying his actions. Again, this movement of his hands is the sign for car in baby sign language and an example of a motivational sign for some babies.

The thing with all these sign is that they are pretty universal gestures for bed, drink and car. These signs are iconic – the sign you do is symbolic of what it represents. Because a lot of Auslan signs are iconic, this helps when learning sign language as it makes the process a lot easier.

Next time you are with friends or family who have young babies or children, watch to see if you notice any universal signs in action.

It would be great to compile a list of universal signs that parents are using without knowing. How big would this list be? Would these parents convert to using signs if they knew they were already using signs in their daily life and what impact is it having on their babies?

Maybe with your help this is something we can research together. Let me know what you have noticed in relation to gestures and universal signs among your friends and family.

Baby sign language is usually only thought of in the context of understanding a baby’s wants and needs but having a basic knowledge of baby sign language has proven to be a helpful intervention with children diagnosed with special needs including Apraxia.

Sign language provides a multi-sensory input that children with Apraxia need to in order to develop normal speech. In addition, it helps children with Apraxia receive many of the same social, emotional and academic benefits of sign language as those children with other speech development disorders.

Just because a child is slow to talk doesn’t necessarily mean there is anything wrong.

Einstein didn’t talk until he was five years old; boys generally learn to talk later; second and third born children speak later as a general rule; or quit talking for your baby so he will learn to speak.

What Is Apraxia

Apraxia is defined as a disorder caused by damage to specific areas of the cerebrum and there are three different types. These include: limb, oral, and Verbal Apraxia. Each one is characterized by a person trying to perform a task or make a word on command and struggling to.

Oral Apraxia in children can occur in the form of oral movement difficulties. In this case, the brain is unable to allow the body to make oral movement upon command. For example, if the child is asked to whistle, smile, or any movements of the mouth, he would experience difficulties. Limb Apraxia in children is involving many more gross motor skills such as waving hands, holding a toy, or getting a thing on command.

Verbal Apraxia or the Apraxia of speech can be confused for an articulation disorder or fluency (stuttering) disorder. For instance, there is difficulty in groping movements to move their mouth and tongue to the correct position. It is also very common for them to correctly say a word, and then have difficulty with speech development.

What Is The Difference Between Oral And Verbal Apraxia

Oral Apraxia is a term that describes impairment in non-speech functions, such as blowing, whistling, sucking, smiling, or licking lips. Verbal Apraxia is closely related to Oral Apraxia. It is a problem in a part of the brain’s cerebrum that affects the rapid sequence of muscle movements that’s needed to make the sounds of speech. Oral and Verbal Apraxia are likely to overlap in diagnosis.

It has been found that children who have this condition are usually quite capable of understanding spoken language even if they are unable to express themselves. Many of the aberrant behaviours related to developmental disabilities are rooted in the frustration associated with an inability to communicate. Baby signing can help alleviate this frustration in children with Apraxia.

What Are The Benefits Of Baby Sign Language For Children With Apraxia.

Through extensive therapy with a speech-language pathologist, some children with Apraxia can in fact resolve some of their problems with talking, though the disorder itself can be long term. Exposing your child to baby sign language will make him more attentive and engaged in what he is learning. It will also help your child form better relationships with other people and alleviate the frustration that is caused by an inability to express or communicate as it provides him with a communication tool.

Some people believe that baby sign language may delay speech in babies, but that is not true. Babies are born communicators but they cannot use their vocal chords from day one.

However, from around 6 months of age, babies can use their hands to wave hello and to also communicate. If you have a child who has been diagnosed with Apraxia, try baby sign language today and experience the beautiful benefits from this wonderful communication tool.

You can try a variety of things once your baby reaches the recommended age to start signing and make sure that you always introduce a mix of practical and motivational signs.

Simple things such as reading to your baby can be turned into a fun game once you start to introduce baby sign as it helps to animate the stories so there is play and interaction.

Australian Baby Hands was developed to create baby sign language resources for parents, families and child care workers using baby sign language resources and baby sign classes. Our resources provide step by step instructions for parents on how to introduce baby sign language into your home in a fun easy way.

Autism is something which is very close to my heart. When I was 10 years old my baby brother Patrick was born. I was the very proud older sister but as the months passed, my baby brother was not like all my other friends’ baby brothers. I remember when Patrick was 3 years old and was still not talking. This was causing a lot of anxiety for my parents and a lot of frustration for Patrick.

Sometimes there were temper tantrums, sometimes we knew what he wanted first guess. He seemed locked away in his own world and we did not have the tools to reach him. While Patricks diagnosis took a number of years before it was confirmed, during this pre-verbal time, baby sign language would have been a fun and useful tool to use with my baby brother.

I believe it would have made a real difference in Patricks early years. Patrick loved books and loved when someone read to him, which I did a lot. He loved looking at the pictures and the voices I would put on. He also loved when I sang nursery rhymes and did the actions. If I knew then what I know now, what would I have done differently with my brother?

I would have downloaded the Australian Baby Hands free baby sign language chart to learn 6 introductory signs. I would have used baby sign language with Patrick throughout the day, throughout his routines especially. I would teach him signs for his favourite things such as books, cars, teddy etc. I would read to him and incorporate signs into his story books. I would teach my parents signs to also help them communicate with my brother and I would teach my other brother the signs so he too could communicate with him. I would sing him nursery rhymes which did not have actions and do baby sign to the words.

Researchers suggest that the use of baby sign language increases the chances of autistic children learning spoken language while also providing them with a communication tool. Autistic children are able to learn baby sign language successfully as signs can be physically guided unlike speech.

You can move your child’s hands to demonstrate the sign you want them to create. Some sign language is iconic which means some signs produced symbolise the word we are trying to communicate. An example of an iconic sign would be the sign for car, which is the action of steering the wheel of a car. It is very clear what you are trying to communicate through this action.

Research has shown that the left hemisphere brain functions of autistic children have a differential disturbance. Since it is believed that signing is processed in the right hemisphere of the brain, this may be the reason why signing is easier for autistic children to learn. It is also believed that through acquiring sign language in the early days, the child is able to build up cognitive structures which are the basis for later learning.

I have had many emails over the years from parents who have Autistic children and have used baby sign language with them. Most parents have experienced a lot of benefit from using baby sign language with autistic children. For those who have experienced benefits, they have included reduced frustration for parents and children, an insight into their baby’s mind and a communication tool the whole family can use. As with all children, autistic children are individuals and some will benefit greatly from baby sign language and some may not be interested in it at all.

I would recommend trying baby sign language with all children, especially any child who has any sort of communication difficulty as it can break down the barriers of communication reduce frustration and help you gain an insight into your child’s mind.

With Mothers Day fast approaching and one of the most popular baby signs to introduce into a home being the sign for Mum, I thought I would talk through the two signs we use at Baby Hands in our baby sign products use for Mum and the differences between them and when we use them.

Simple Baby Sign For Mum

The first sign for Mum is the one which we include in all our material and it is the simplest for a baby to reproduce.  This sign is created when you tap the flat palm of your dominant hand on the side of your head.

Now a lot of people ask me why I have not  included the AUSLAN sign for Mum in my products.  I have included the AUSLAN sign for Mum but what they are referring to is another more formal AUSLAN sign for Mum.

When working with Deaf Children Australia, the team there highlighted that a lot of Deaf parents do not introduce the more formal sign for Mum initially when a baby is young as it is a difficult sign for a baby to replicate.  For this reason, some Deaf parents introduce a more simplistic AUSLAN sign for Mum.  Once their baby is older and more physically capable, they may then upgrade the sign.

You may feel more comfortable introducing the more formal sign for Mum from day one and that is perfectly fine.  You will just need to remember that your baby’s attempt at signing this back may not be 100% accurate due to their physical limitations.

To create this sign, you need to have a flat non-dominant hand and tap three fingers from your other hand off the non-dominant hands palm.  To get an understanding of how this is done, see the image below.

Formal AUSLAN Sign For Mum

Remember the process of baby sign language is to make this a fun educational journey for your baby.  By using these simplified versions of the signs, you are using signs that your baby can reproduce.

So how do you introduce the sign for Mum?

Start by pointing at yourself and saying and signing the sign for Mum.  Anytime you say the word Mum, be sure to sign the word.  You can point at photographs and say and sign the word.  Again, the same rules apply.

The more examples you can give your baby and the more consistent you are with your signing, the easier it is for your baby to pick up what it is you are trying to communicate.  Remember repetition is key.  Try to encourage others, such as your baby’s Grandparents to also sign Mum when they are referring to you.

I have received many baby sign stories from Mums who are so excited the first time their baby signs and then the first time they sign the word Mum.  It is a beautiful moment and a moment you will cherish.

If Mum is a sign you have included in your signing vocabulary, I hope you experience the joy of receiving this sign back in the not too distant future.

If you are still wondering how to start make sure you download a copy of our free baby sign language chart with 6 introductory signs, including Mum so you can begin today.

Happy Mothers Day everyone!

All babies can learn to communicate through sign language before they can talk, which is good in itself, but this is especially helpful for babies or children with Down syndrome who may have trouble talking. It provides another way to communicate. Sign language is often a tool they use to build their confidence communicating.

What Is Down Syndrome?

Down syndrome (also called Trisomy 21) is a genetic disorder that occurs in approximately 1 of 700 live births and it is the leading cause of cognitive impairment.

This condition is associated with developmental delays, characteristic facial feature and low muscle tone in early pregnancy. Down syndrome and baby sign language is a great combination for making life a lot easier for everyone concerned. As we all know, children with Down syndrome have some degree of speech delay. This makes it difficult for the child, as well as the parents, to communicate.

Since Down syndrome babies often have delayed speech and may not talk until two or three years of age, sign language can make a world of difference while you are waiting. Sign language also naturally increases self-esteem in a child, since they feel good about being able to communicate.

Baby sign language uses hand gestures to help parents communicate with their babies that cannot speak or use only a few words. The baby learns hand gestures and uses these to communicate simple needs such as being sick, hungry, tired or happy. You may worry that teaching sign language will delay your baby’s verbal language development, but research has shown that it is beneficial to babies especially to children with Down syndrome.

As well as building conversations through sign, baby sign language also builds communication connections creating a bond with your child when verbal language cannot.

One of the most common questions from parents is “will baby sign language delay my child speech?”

The answer is NO.

Baby sign language stimulates certain areas of the brain that are used for verbal language development and in Down syndrome children, it can assist with verbal communication and also reduce frustration.

Baby sign language can be introduced at any age and we have had lots of parents over the years who have used it with their Down Syndrome children and experienced lots of benefits.

Children with Down syndrome are often easily distracted.  When introducing baby sign language to your child, you’ll need to employ strategies that work to minimize distractions such as using a slightly more structured environment and keeping the noise level down.

Be sure to incorporate motivational signs into your routine. Motivational signs are words that your child loves. Examples could include teddy bear, music, books, dog, cat etc.

In most cases, speech experts encourage parents of children with Down syndrome to introduce sign language early. These children will often use signs for emphasis or clarification. Baby sign language greatly reduces frustration for babies and children as well as adults. According to research, most words that are signed are eventually spoken and evolve into spontaneous speech.

Combining sign language with the spoken word supports the formation of spoken language.

If you have a baby with Down syndrome using baby sign can be a great way to start their communication development path.

Try downloading our free baby sign chart with some beginner signs to get started today.