Friday, 24 February 2012

The Benefits of Sign Language in Pre-verbal Babies



  Before a child can properly vocalize their needs and wants they must master very complex actions in the muscles in their faces. These actions include the placement of tongue, formation of the lips, shaping of their nasal passage, controlling of the vocal chords, and breathing and regulation.  Every one of these actions develops independently and is not mastered until an infant is well into their year. This means that a child will go through their year or so not being able to communicate specific needs and wants. Often mothers are keen to the needs of their own child through a special bond, but can a mother be expected to know what an infant needs or wants 100 % of the time?



  Research has shown that the use of Baby Sign Language in pre-verbal infants boasts incredible benefits including putting these babies on the fast track to life-long literacy.
   
  • Baby Sign Language gives your baby the ability to express specific needs and wants
  • Promotes the development of language skills
  • Reinforces language skills already developed
  • Reduces frustration at not being able to express ones needs
  • Increases speed of spatial reasoning development
  • Develops understanding of language for communication of emotions
  • May increase child’s IQ by up to 10 points
  • Creates feelings of satisfaction and accomplishment
  • Teaches a second language that is nationally recognized
  • May increase creative thinking
  • Increases early literacy skills
  • Reduces unexplainable emotional outbursts
  • Teaches babies how to initiate and contribute to a conversation


  Additionally Signing babies have been known to speak earlier than non-signing babies, develop a larger vocabulary, and become better readers. The benefits of teaching your baby sign language are outstanding to say the least. Providing a communication rich environment for your little one helps in the bonding process for all caregivers involved. This shows baby that you value them as a person and that they have important ideas, wants and needs.





Shawneen Lenane

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