Does anyone use sign language to help with behaviour? What signs do you use and has it helped? How long did you child take to learn the signs and what age did you start?
Yes started at around 3 months and by 6 months she was signing back. By 12months she had no words but over 20 signs. By the time she was starting to speak at 18m she had nearly 100 signs all up that she could understand and do. It also helps with speech development. She refused to talk due to biting her tongue a lot from a jaw issue so the signing was a lifesaver. Carmen
Master 3 has speech dyspraxia and works with a speech therapist. I did a keyword (makaton) signing course to give him another form of communication while he’s struggling with speech. Kids pick it up so quickly and it can really help when ‘communication’ is an issue.
I went through Meagan Rudd, a keyword sign presenter and tutor, if anybody is looking for info email her I’m sure she could help meagan.signon@gmail.com ,…. I haven’t drowned him in signs but we use useful everyday signs ‘I want, bath, angry, drink, hungry, sorry, please, help, home, school, good, etc…. (Ps… angry was one of the first signs he used to express to me he was angry with his sister miss5 lol) Lanie
It isn’t sign language but I have had a bit to do with PECS (picture exchange communication system) and it has been great. Used heavily with special needs kids but have many friends use the system in everyday life with success. http://www.pecsaustralia.com/Hannah
My 5 yr old learnt sign language at age 2 as he wasn’t talking due to autism and his speech therapist worked with him he was learning on average about 15-20 a week and using them in everyday life. Really helped with behaviour issues and calming him down during melt downs, signs like “calm down” “quiet time” “slowly” “softly” “good waiting” “taking turns” all helped greatly. Tammy
You MUST use sign WITH speech. So you always verbalise the word with the sign. It actually assists speech rather hindering it if done correctly. Lanie
My son’s speech therapist and pead said sign language is a proven way to increase language and speech, as long as you say the word when you sign it. Don’t just sign. Tammy
Yea I mainly just say the word over n over n show her what it is n after a couple weeks she picked it up… Now she’s 17mo and can say sooo many words and if I ask her to get something she knows what I mean that’s why I was confused when I read this post about baby sign language lol. She tells me “finish” and “more” etc instead of just showing. Chantelle
Oh, and I really encourage yes and no, nodding and shaking head. I can ask her anything and get a response and I honour her response. I get lots done, like ‘shall we vacuum’ or ‘should we change your nappy’. And I keep asking until she says yes then I do it. Haha. Oh, and ‘more’ is a good one. The older they are the quicker they pick up but I still started from about 4mo. I started early (4mo) with drink, eat and bed but have introduced giraffe which is her cuddle toy she is obsessed with and dummy which is her current must have item. She’s 18mo now and picks them up straight away. We also do I love you, which is lovely. The best one I ever taught was ‘finished’, which stopped her throwing her dinner overboard! That was at about 12mo and in only 4 days she stopped throwing food. Belinda
We started at around 6 months – we mostly used the signs for ‘finished’, ‘more’, ‘Daddy’. ‘Mummy’ and milk – helped settle our little miss’ frustration heaps. Renee
My son started pointing at 10 months and around the same time (maybe a few weeks later) he started using sign language. At first he just picked things up himself. I use to take him to Babies Rhyme Time at the library, so I’m assuming this is where he picked it up from e.g. he would open his hand for open, for big he would put his arm up high etc. Anyway, we decided to start using baby sign language when he was about 13 months and he picked it up straight away. I was a bit concerned that he was using the signs for everything and not talking but now that he’s talking he very rarely uses the sign. I would highly recommend it, as you are able to communicate with them before they are able to talk. Melissa
Very interesting! Hadn’t even thought of this tbh!! The only one similar that my lo has picked up from me would be “where is it” Chantelle
I taught my little girl the sign for milk and she goes to the cupboard where her bottles are and does it, it’s very convenient!! It only took her a few days to realise, I just kept doing it and saying milk and she copied. She was about 13 months I think. Amy
Our speech pathologist was so excited when we told them we had been using signs as it’s been proven to stimulate the speech development sections of the brain. Much research has gone into it and shows that healthy children at a normal development level will excel in speech when signing is introduced from a young age. I did loads of research on it as we knew from only weeks old she would have issues talking and I didn’t want signing to make that worse. The issue of it delaying is an old wives tale. Carmen
Yes. Where, water, drink, milk, please, thank you. Where was her first and signed at 12 months since middle Feb the others…oh teddy, bird, mine, car, drive. Keely