Baby sign language, when do we start?

Baby is 6 months old! This is a great time to start introducing signs. We don't expect the child to produce them at this age. However, the adult provides models that the child integrates and generally tries to reproduce around 10-11 months.

For children who develop speech quickly, the use will only be for a short period. For children who develop speech later, signs will provide an effective means of communication until speech develops and becomes functional.

Am I too late to start sign language with my baby?

A parent who did not use signs from an early age with their baby, but who finds that speech is slow to develop, can also introduce signs at this time (there is no age limit). If this is the case, talk to your speech-language pathologist, who will be best placed to guide you.

When should I stop using sign language with my child?

When speech becomes functional for the child, they naturally drop the signs. In fact, there may be a period where they combine the sign and speech, and then only use the spoken word. Some parents tend to stop signing when the child babbles more or says their first word. However, it can be advantageous, as an adult, to continue using sign language for a slightly longer period when the child is only at their first words, as signs will allow them to communicate with a greater variety of words while waiting for speech to catch up with their intentions.