Babies begin to develop ways of communicating long before language skills are even acquired. Through gestures, they learn to express what they want or need, first with crying and then with their own hands. This happens after approximately 6 months, when they begin to develop fine motor skills and the movements of their hands allow them to express what they want.
This way of communicating has a name unknown to many, it is the "Baby Signing" method or sign language for babies. In a simplified way, baby sign language could be compared to sign language for people with hearing disabilities, as well as those with speech difficulties. But in the case of babies, sign language is suitable for everyone, since applies from an age when there is no ability to speak.
What is Baby Signing?
Human beings have the innate need to communicate, and for this, naturally look for the way to do it in any of the stages of life. From the very birth, babies use crying to express what they need, they even use different types of crying, with variations in intensity, to make it easier for the mother to understand.
Little by little they are introducing new ways of making themselves understood, with babbling, with the expressions on their faces and even with gestures they make with their little hands, that is, use what is called non-verbal communication. This is nothing more than pure adaptation to the environment, to "survive" they need to make themselves understood and naturally use the weapons at their disposal. Baby signing is nothing more than a way to expand those small gestures that babies already know how to do, so that in this way, we can communicate with them in a more extensive way.
In reality, those small gestures that are used in a generalized way such as pointing with the finger, closing the hand to say goodbye or sending kisses with the hand, are already a way of communicating with signs. That is, you yourself could invent all kinds of gestures to generate a language with your baby. Nevertheless, it is more appropriate to use general language because that way your baby will be able to use it with other people and not exclusively with you.
That in itself is the Baby Signing method, a language that already collects all the corresponding signs and words. Although the method started with American Sign Language, it has been found that it can be adapted to any existing sign language.
Benefits of Sign Language for Babies
Communicating through sign language is beneficial for all children. Just like we want them to learn other languages, to expand your knowledge and ability to find the best job or get on in other countries. Sign language for babies will allow them to communicate with people with hearing impairments or speech problems.
What does not necessarily affect deaf people or mute, for example, for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down Syndrome or any other type of disability that affects language development, baby sign language may be the best way to communicate. In many cases, it may even be the only possible way to communicate, as in the most severe cases of autism.
But the benefits of Baby Signing go much further, since even in cases of children who do not have any type of disorder or problem associated with language development, being able to communicate with sign language can be really beneficial. Imagine a very common situation like say goodbye to your child while on the school bus, to be able to tell him that you love him, that he carries his breakfast in his backpack or that you will be waiting for him when he returns, using sign language. Without a doubt, it is a way to strengthen emotional ties and a very important learning for the life of any child.