Every parent knows the frustration of trying to understand babies too young to communicate their needs.
Often their communication goes no further than gurgling or puzzled expressions.
Neenah mom Kimberley Brzozowski said that wasn t the case with her and her daughter
Evelyn.
Brzozowski and her husband took the advice of friends and began teaching their daughter sign language with the hope of bridging the communication barrier between them and their child.
The idea of signing with babies in their pre-verbal stage as a communication route has been spreading across the nation for years, said Kristine
Alarie, an education interpreter for the deaf.
Over the years, research has shown that learning sign language benefits hearing children just as much as much as deaf children.
Brzozowski said they decided to teach Evelyn sign language when she was 4 months old because they were first-time parents.
We were nervous about not knowing what she would be trying to tell us, Brzozowski said.
By the time Evelyn reached 13 months, when she started to talk, she already knew three-dozen signs including
I love you. Early next month Alarie will bring the phenomenon of baby sign language to Oshkosh families. |
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She will start a class at Mercy Medical Center, teaching parents and their babies how to communicate using signs in American sign language.
American sign language is just using your natural gestures,
Alarie said. It is very interesting for babies because it
is iconic. The sign for banana looks like you are peeling a banana.
In addition, learning baby sign language helps parents and children cut down the communication barriers and strengthen the parent/child bond.
We look at sign language as a bridge. It opens up better communication,
Alarie said.
The idea of teaching babies to sign works in conjunction with their natural tendencies and the developmental stages of the mind.
Children often don't verbalize until they are 15 months to 2 years of age. But we know that babies have emotions before then,
Alarie said.
Research shows there are four advantages to teaching an infant sign language, Alarie said.
Not only does it strengthen the parent/child bond, but children who learned sign language as babies have higher IQs, develop better verbal and motor skills and are more interested in reading.
What's more, Alarie said teaching children sign language helps bridge another communication barrier
that of the deaf world and the hearing world.
It is thrilling to know that I'll have little ones who will be able to speak to the deaf and hard of hearing,
Alarie said. The deaf culture is very strong in this area.
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