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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Calling all baby signers.

39 replies

poppiesinaline · 18/01/2006 20:09

Thanks to MN I started baby signing with DS2 about 4 weeks or so ago. He is 9 months. Last week he signed 'milk' a few times (ahhh) but has not done it since. Is this normal? How old were yours when you started? How long did it take to kick in? And were they intermittent like this?

PS Today he signed 'drink' 3 times. (Ahhh, it is sooo cute!)

OP posts:

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Homsa · 09/10/2006 19:49

Another vote for the Sing and Sign DVDs, they're great. I did a class with DS when he was around 8 months old, but he just didn't seem to get it, so eventually I gave up. Little did I know that he is autistic and that autistic children have huge trouble imitating! When he was around 2 years old and still didn't have any words, I started signing with him again, and little by little he started signing back. It was fantastic, for the first time he was able to communicate to me what he wanted!!! He is 3.4 now and just starting to speak, and signing is still incredibly useful as his speech is so unclear. AND he's just started to sing along to his Sing and Sign DVD! He's never tried to sign before!!!

I will definitely sign with his baby sister (5 months), a) because it's great fun and b) because if she's autistic as well, it will give her a head start.

Homsa · 09/10/2006 19:50

Never tried to sing before. Must preview

relaxedgirl · 09/10/2006 22:10

hi,

My husband did baby signing with our second child. The baby started at 7 months and went to a class for about a year. They both really enjoyed it and it was a great opportunity for quality father/son time. The baby used the signs once he was starting to talk rather than prior to talking and it made it much easier to understand his unclear first words. The most common signs he used were milk, more, all gone, biscuit. A trip to the zoo was made very entertaining by him unprompted doing monkey signs at the monkeys etc. All the animal signs were really popular and were used when we were reading books. I found the most useful sign was the one for taking turns, which I used a lot with him and his brother and the sign to share. This stopped a lot of aggro at the stage when they were 18 months and 3.5 years. I would stick with the signing even if it appears that they are not taking it in, you will probably find as we did that they know what you mean when you sign even if they don't make too many signs themselves.

WinkyWinkola · 10/10/2006 04:52

My son of 17 months and I go to Sing and Sign classes. It's his third term. He's utterly engrossed in the class. It's very cheerful and jolly - great fun. The DVDs are great too as are the CDs for the car.

I have to say though he doesn't really sign! Not that it matters because we go just for the enjoyment of it.

chelltune · 10/10/2006 08:57

Is the CD good then? I don't stock it on my site as I haven't heard it myself.

WinkyWinkola · 10/10/2006 10:06

Oh yes, it's lively and has got classic songs on it as well as Sing and Sign's own. It seems to soothe my boy on boring car journeys.

FloatingHeadOnTheMed · 10/10/2006 21:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

squatchette · 11/10/2006 08:44

My Daughter learned Makaton signing from about a year of age.She has a tracheostomy and couldn't make any sounds at the time. She picked it up really quickly and became far less frustrated around 2 once she had a big enough vocab to get her point across.
With DD2 we didn't really 'teach' her but she picked it up just because she watched it so much so i think the key is repetition in your normal home environment although classes are great too.
Pleased to say eldest started talking at 3 and has an amazing vocabulary for her age now.

99redballoons · 11/10/2006 11:18

Also haven't read the whole thread..

ds started signing at 9/10 months but didn't 'talk' to me with signs until about 12/13 months.

dd started signing at 9 month and is now 11 months. She still only does 'drink', 'bird', and a one-handed 'butterfly', but I can see it's starting to take off with her.

Can recommend the TinyTalk DVD too and their signing pack. Have both. Use both.

chelltune · 12/10/2006 09:31

There is a competition to win two Child's Play signing books of your choice on www.chelltune.co.uk Email your answer to have a chance to win. Good luck.

chelltune · 14/10/2006 20:44

99redballoons, my DS only used a few signs until he was 11mths, he then signed dog and there was no stopping him from that day.

kasdie · 14/10/2006 23:49

going to start signing take my dd2 who is 14months to toddler group the lady does sign to the children i think that is so good im really intrested she does a course but in middle of it at mo starting new one soon cant wait can u explain milk sign please so i can get started

tessasmum · 15/10/2006 11:19

Sign we use for milk is fist vertical and mime action of milking a cow - does that make sense?

HTH

kasdie · 15/10/2006 11:37

yes thank you

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