Sign Language is Not Just for the Deaf

If you had asked me about sign language when I was young I would have said it was a method of communication used by the deaf community. Today I have a different view. As a mother of a disabled child I have been thrown in to a whole new world were sign language is a part of every day life. Not only have I discovered that sign language is used extensively in Special Services Schools, but it is also becoming widely used by parents of infants and toddlers who have not yet learned to communicate verbally. This article will discuss sign language used with infants and toddlers, and sign used for all individuals with special needs.

Infants and Toddlers

Sign Language allows you to communicate with your baby several months before they are capable of speaking. Just because your child hasn't reached the verbal stage of communication yet doesn't mean he or she doesn't understand basic concepts. As a matter of fact a child may become frustrated if they have no way to tell you what they need or want. Teach your baby sign and they will be able to communicate when they want to eat, or drink. You can teach them simple commands such as sit, open, close, up, and down. Many parents have already discovered the benefits of using sign language with their babies. I believe education starts the day a child is born. So why not start with sign.

Individuals with Special Needs

My 5-year-old daughter has a neuro-genetic disorder called Angelman Syndrome. She will never be able to communicate verbally. When she began preschool at our local Special Services School I noticed that they used sign language with everything they did. So the children are seeing it everyday. That made me want to investigate sign language further so I could use it at home. It turns out that my daughter is able to understand a lot more of the sign language than my verbal commands even though she can not actively sign to me. This way the teachers and I can remain on the same page. There are also a lot of disabled kids in my daughter's class who can not speak, but can sign. This proves that understanding sign language is easier for a special needs child than verbal commands alone.