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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Baby Sign and Speech Delay?
TXhomedaycare 08:05 PM 12-02-2015
I have a 27 month old dcb that was taught sign as a baby but he does not talk. He has been here 3 months but he does not talk often and when he does I cannot understand 90% of what he says. During learning time when he does repeat me or participate his noises sound as if he is hearing impaired or he cannot form his mouth the right way to say the words. I was wondering if learning sign language has caused a delay in his speech or at least caused him to not feel the need to talk. When his mom comes she tells him to say bye or thank you and he only signs it. If he wants more food he signs or points and makes noise. He does say mom (what he calls me or I am sure any woman watching him) 1,000 times a day and then points. He doesn't seem delayed in any other areas. My 18 month old dcb and other 2 year old dcb talk way more than he does and his mom makes comments about how well they talk but I told her they don't know sign and they both grew up in a daycare home environment with mixed ages and it seems being exposed to older kids has caused them to grow their vocabulary faster. The 27 mo. Dcb seems happy and very comfortable at my home and does speak a little more than when he started but still not much. Does any body have experience with this? I just wanted to know if teaching a baby sign might cause this issue. Dcb can talk when he is ready I just have always wondered the pros and cons of teaching a baby sign.
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Michael 09:22 PM 12-02-2015
More threads on speech delayed: https://www.daycare.com/forum/tags.p...eech+-+delayed
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spedmommy4 10:02 PM 12-02-2015
No, it wouldn't have caused a speech delay. It could be that the little one is a late talker or he has a speech delay. I would lean more towards speech delay since you mention dcb is having trouble forming words. Little ones can have speech delays and be doing great in all other areas of development.

If the mom is receptive, I would refer her to early intervention. They evaluate and determine if the little one needs services for free. To find the one in your area, do an Internet search for early intervention + your city/state. The mom could also ask her child's pediatrician to refer her to the early intervention program.
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Ariana 11:36 AM 12-03-2015
I have seen multiple children who rely heavily on sign and I personally believe it DOES hinder speech development. I didn't teach my own kids signs because kids have ways of telling you what they want without learning sign language. If my kids wanted more or were all done I knew it!!

I personally think sign language is great for kids with delays but I wouldn't teach them until a delay was diagnosed. I think this new surge of baby signs is really affecting developing children and is a "new thing" for parents to say "look what my kid can do".

Either way the damage is done and now he needs to see an SLP for further evaluation. If he is not meeting his milestones he needs to be seen. At this age talking is required.
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KSDC 11:56 AM 12-03-2015
I have had lots of children do baby sign with me. Some spoke early and some "on-time" and some were delayed. My daughter was great at baby sign language and went on to speak early according to her screenings.

I truly don't think that baby sign makes has that much of an impact on speech delays. But, it does help with the frustration that little ones have when they can't tell you what they need or want.

I love baby sign language and will continue to use it.
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spedmommy4 01:22 PM 12-03-2015
Originally Posted by Ariana:
I have seen multiple children who rely heavily on sign and I personally believe it DOES hinder speech development. I didn't teach my own kids signs because kids have ways of telling you what they want without learning sign language. If my kids wanted more or were all done I knew it!!

I personally think sign language is great for kids with delays but I wouldn't teach them until a delay was diagnosed. I think this new surge of baby signs is really affecting developing children and is a "new thing" for parents to say "look what my kid can do".

Either way the damage is done and now he needs to see an SLP for further evaluation. If he is not meeting his milestones he needs to be seen. At this age talking is required.
I agree that it has become a bit of a fad but all current research supports that the use of signing does not cause the delay.

The little ones you've encountered would have experienced a delay or been late talkers regardless of the use of sign. I have noticed late talking/speech delays often occur with particular parenting styles. (Eg: Parent that are not engaged, ones whose kids have a busier social calendar than me ) That could account for what you've noticed as well.

As long as parents and caregivers continue to use language paired with sign, the use of sign should end up being a benefit to a little one.
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Ariana 02:22 PM 12-03-2015
Originally Posted by spedmommy4:
I agree that it has become a bit of a fad but all current research supports that the use of signing does not cause the delay.

The little ones you've encountered would have experienced a delay or been late talkers regardless of the use of sign. I have noticed late talking/speech delays often occur with particular parenting styles. (Eg: Parent that are not engaged, ones whose kids have a busier social calendar than me ) That could account for what you've noticed as well.

As long as parents and caregivers continue to use language paired with sign, the use of sign should end up being a benefit to a little one.
It is definitely odd that I have noticed the exact opposite happening. Of course I am just referring to anecdotal evidence and not research but it is still my opinion. I do agree that signing HAS to be paired with language, each and every time you use it in order for the child to understand the connection in the brain.
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safechner 02:44 PM 12-03-2015
Learning sign Language DO NOT cause the delay. I am deaf myself. I have three kids, one is profoundly deaf, second is hearing, and third is hard of hearing. My daughter is hearing and I taught her sign language when she was an infant. ASL is kinda of her first language but she went speak in full language by 18 months old. Her first word "NO" when she was 5 months old. :-) He could be late talker or speech delay. My husband was late talker until he was 3 years old and he had to go speech therapy. Every children are different.

I personally think sign language is great for kids to learn before talk because they will be able to tell you what they want. They will be able to communicate with you instead frustration. Hope it helps.



Originally Posted by TXhomedaycare:
I have a 27 month old dcb that was taught sign as a baby but he does not talk. He has been here 3 months but he does not talk often and when he does I cannot understand 90% of what he says. During learning time when he does repeat me or participate his noises sound as if he is hearing impaired or he cannot form his mouth the right way to say the words. I was wondering if learning sign language has caused a delay in his speech or at least caused him to not feel the need to talk. When his mom comes she tells him to say bye or thank you and he only signs it. If he wants more food he signs or points and makes noise. He does say mom (what he calls me or I am sure any woman watching him) 1,000 times a day and then points. He doesn't seem delayed in any other areas. My 18 month old dcb and other 2 year old dcb talk way more than he does and his mom makes comments about how well they talk but I told her they don't know sign and they both grew up in a daycare home environment with mixed ages and it seems being exposed to older kids has caused them to grow their vocabulary faster. The 27 mo. Dcb seems happy and very comfortable at my home and does speak a little more than when he started but still not much. Does any body have experience with this? I just wanted to know if teaching a baby sign might cause this issue. Dcb can talk when he is ready I just have always wondered the pros and cons of teaching a baby sign.

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AmyKidsCo 08:33 PM 12-03-2015
I don't think that signing causes speech delay, unless the child is allowed to only sign and not encouraged to talk.

Is he an only child? Do the parents converse with him or talk over him? If he's a youngest, do older siblings talk for him? Our youngest hardly talked until he was over 2 because he had 5 older siblings to talk for him so the "point and grunt" worked for him.

However, since you said he seems hearing impaired and/or not forming his mouth correctly, have you observed to see if his hearing seems normal? Does he turn his head toward sounds or seem oblivious to them? Does he use his mouth normally at other times - eating and drinking? Is he overly drooly or seem to have trouble swallowing?

If it's not a physical impairment, a strategy that works for me is "I can't understand that, can you say ___________?"
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KIDZRMYBIZ 08:05 AM 12-04-2015
Originally Posted by AmyKidsCo:
I don't think that signing causes speech delay, unless the child is allowed to only sign and not encouraged to talk.

If it's not a physical impairment, a strategy that works for me is "I can't understand that, can you say ___________?"
^^This. Idc what "research" says. I have been providing daycare for almost 14 years, and I can see that it DOES delay speech. I have a preschool teacher from our local public school that comes once a month to my daycare, and she told me that there has been a large influx of kids with no developmental delays or health issues other than speech delays, but they sure can sign like nobody's business.

I've taken courses on baby sign, and the biggest thing is to *say it with emphasis* while you sign it, which a lot of the DCMs don't do. You should also encourage the baby to try to say it while they sign. All babies use "sign language" of points and gestures they make up on their own, so I think teaching ASL to a hearing child with no connections to a hearing impaired person is hooey. JMO
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daycarediva 10:17 AM 12-04-2015
Originally Posted by Ariana:
I have seen multiple children who rely heavily on sign and I personally believe it DOES hinder speech development. I didn't teach my own kids signs because kids have ways of telling you what they want without learning sign language. If my kids wanted more or were all done I knew it!!

I personally think sign language is great for kids with delays but I wouldn't teach them until a delay was diagnosed. I think this new surge of baby signs is really affecting developing children and is a "new thing" for parents to say "look what my kid can do".

Either way the damage is done and now he needs to see an SLP for further evaluation. If he is not meeting his milestones he needs to be seen. At this age talking is required.
Originally Posted by Ariana:
It is definitely odd that I have noticed the exact opposite happening. Of course I am just referring to anecdotal evidence and not research but it is still my opinion. I do agree that signing HAS to be paired with language, each and every time you use it in order for the child to understand the connection in the brain.
Originally Posted by KIDZRMYBIZ:
^^This. Idc what "research" says. I have been providing daycare for almost 14 years, and I can see that it DOES delay speech. I have a preschool teacher from our local public school that comes once a month to my daycare, and she told me that there has been a large influx of kids with no developmental delays or health issues other than speech delays, but they sure can sign like nobody's business.

I've taken courses on baby sign, and the biggest thing is to *say it with emphasis* while you sign it, which a lot of the DCMs don't do. You should also encourage the baby to try to say it while they sign. All babies use "sign language" of points and gestures they make up on their own, so I think teaching ASL to a hearing child with no connections to a hearing impaired person is hooey. JMO
Just referred a child to EI for speech delay. Mom ONLY signs with her. The speech therapist said this baby signing fad is costing the state a lot of money because parents are using it IN STEAD of speech, not IN ADDITION to.

I have also seen the same trend- later speech in kids with sign language. I refuse to use it here at all, and the ST thanked me profusely for that.
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mamamanda 10:47 AM 12-04-2015
I taught both of my boys basic baby sign language. Not a ton, but they learned several signs that helped with frustration. That being said they also both spoke very early. When I took my older son in for his 2 year well check he immediately started up a conversation with the doctor using 6 word sentences. The Dr had a full conversation with him and then said, "I'm supposed to check to see that he's using approximately 50 words and beginning to put 2 word sentences together. I guess we don't have to worry about that." My 15 mo says probably 15-20 words regularly and started putting 3 and 4 words together about a week ago. He woke up on Thanksgiving and said, "I want get up." I was surprised, but he's been doing that more and more. Signing obviously hasn't stunted their speech at all but I will say I didn't rely on the signing exclusively either. We signed for the basics, but I always used my words and repeated what they were signing before handing them anything.
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daycarediva 11:39 AM 12-04-2015
Originally Posted by mamamanda:
I taught both of my boys basic baby sign language. Not a ton, but they learned several signs that helped with frustration. That being said they also both spoke very early. When I took my older son in for his 2 year well check he immediately started up a conversation with the doctor using 6 word sentences. The Dr had a full conversation with him and then said, "I'm supposed to check to see that he's using approximately 50 words and beginning to put 2 word sentences together. I guess we don't have to worry about that." My 15 mo says probably 15-20 words regularly and started putting 3 and 4 words together about a week ago. He woke up on Thanksgiving and said, "I want get up." I was surprised, but he's been doing that more and more. Signing obviously hasn't stunted their speech at all but I will say I didn't rely on the signing exclusively either. We signed for the basics, but I always used my words and repeated what they were signing before handing them anything.
That's what parents are missing. They're just doing the sign. No words.
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spedmommy4 09:51 PM 12-04-2015
Originally Posted by KIDZRMYBIZ:
^^This. Idc what "research" says. I have been providing daycare for almost 14 years, and I can see that it DOES delay speech. I have a preschool teacher from our local public school that comes once a month to my daycare, and she told me that there has been a large influx of kids with no developmental delays or health issues other than speech delays, but they sure can sign like nobody's business.

I've taken courses on baby sign, and the biggest thing is to *say it with emphasis* while you sign it, which a lot of the DCMs don't do. You should also encourage the baby to try to say it while they sign. All babies use "sign language" of points and gestures they make up on their own, so I think teaching ASL to a hearing child with no connections to a hearing impaired person is hooey. JMO
In those cases, the use of signing did not cause the delay. The parents incorrect use of ASL did. Essentially, they were teaching their child another language and stopped using the first. I'm fairly certain the same thing would happen if the parent started speaking to their child only in Spanish. The child will communicate in the way their family is communicating with them.

I am a licensed early childhood special education teacher, and I would pair sign with words, even for kids with global delays.

And while it is terrible that the parents incorrect usage of sign may be causing speech delays, I do like that sign language is becoming more mainstream. .
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childcaremom 02:02 AM 12-05-2015
Originally Posted by spedmommy4:
In those cases, the use of signing did not cause the delay. The parents incorrect use of ASL did. Essentially, they were teaching their child another language and stopped using the first. I'm fairly certain the same thing would happen if the parent started speaking to their child only in Spanish. The child will communicate in the way their family is communicating with them.


I've only had one child whose parents used signing. She was a late talker (well within the range of normal, though) but when she did, it was a complete avalanche of language. Could of just been her 'normal', too.

I have used simple signs 'all done' 'thirsty' 'hungry' for young dcks who were prone to screaming when they wanted something. Always with words and always together. With the group that I have now, one dcg started saying the word within a month (done - instead of throwing her food on the floor) and the 2 others started using the sign (with me repeating the word). Now 3rd month in I have another one saying the word 'done'.

So I do see it's benefits. But I can also see how this could go sideways. If they are not using the spoken language, of course the little ones are not going to use spoken words. They haven't been taught.
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Unregistered 07:26 AM 12-05-2015
Many of these comments are, as said, just anecdotal and do not represent the reality of the real and great benefits to children who are exposed to multiple languages. Even if all these parents were only signing and not speaking the word with the sign, the child is benefiting cognitively. It is week documented and common knowledge that children who are raised bilingual, reap these benefits. I believe the confusion here is with providers concern that these children are missing out on any and all verbal communication. That is very detrimental to development of language. Language actually does have a period of time, where if not used/learned by a certain age, the child will never be able to learn it (as in the case of some one like Genie, the so called 'wild child'). However; the children in the care of the providers in these anecdotes are absolutely not deprived of all verbal language. Therefore, no they will not be missing that language window that Genie missed. These kids are out in the world, hearing and seeing and talking part in verbal communication (if not by speaking, by being spoken to every day by strangers, parents and teachers). It is common that children growing up bilingual are delayed in both languages at first. Later, both languages are mastered beyond their single language peers. Last comment: there is something called the language gap. That is the gap that exists between children from higher educated and more affluent families and less educated and lower income families. The gap is between the number of words heard starting from birth. The more words a child hears since the day they were born, the better. The children in the stories of the previous posts will possibly be experiencing a really low number of words over all. They won't be delayed because of it. But, they will be worse off and on the short end or the stick when considering the language gap. I, myself taught my babies signs. One used it and one didn't. They both have normal development. But my story of my two children means nothing. The evidence is in the sheer quantities of real research. Even if I said I noticed something based on 20 kids. That's not real evidence. It would only represent a small population: children I would encounter, in my geographic area, in my socioeconomic class (and maybe slight above and below). It would only be the types of families who have found me for their care and chosen to work with me, etc. One person's experiences can't be used as a basis of evidence for something like this- especially when all scientifically accepted accounts are to the contrary.
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BabyMonkeys 01:29 PM 12-05-2015
I have two 23m that I taught to sign when they were tiny. Now they will sign and say the words at the same time, which is what I have always done. I only taught them the basics of sign language, primarily because that is all I know. Now they will ask me "sign words" when they want to know how to sign a word they are saying, "mailman" as an example. I'm learning more signing because I have to look it up!
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Mom2Two 05:41 PM 12-09-2015
Oh my gosh, signing doesn't cause speech delay, and children don't learn to speak just because someone insists that they talk. children learn language by listening to what is spoken around them. If anyone thinks they're picking up an association between signing and speech delay, it's probably just that speech delayed children who have learned sign, will use THAT instead of being SILENT or using gestures/tantrums.
Language learning is innate, it's not actively or formally taught to children. It's just a normal part of brain development. You'd have to actually muzzle a hearing child 24/7 to prevent them from learning to speak.
And speech is just one part of language learning. Language development is measured in many ways besides how well they articulate.
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momofsix 06:40 AM 12-10-2015
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
Many of these comments are, as said, just anecdotal and do not represent the reality of the real and great benefits to children who are exposed to multiple languages. Even if all these parents were only signing and not speaking the word with the sign, the child is benefiting cognitively. It is week documented and common knowledge that children who are raised bilingual, reap these benefits. I believe the confusion here is with providers concern that these children are missing out on any and all verbal communication. That is very detrimental to development of language. Language actually does have a period of time, where if not used/learned by a certain age, the child will never be able to learn it (as in the case of some one like Genie, the so called 'wild child'). However; the children in the care of the providers in these anecdotes are absolutely not deprived of all verbal language. Therefore, no they will not be missing that language window that Genie missed. These kids are out in the world, hearing and seeing and talking part in verbal communication (if not by speaking, by being spoken to every day by strangers, parents and teachers). It is common that children growing up bilingual are delayed in both languages at first. Later, both languages are mastered beyond their single language peers. Last comment: there is something called the language gap. That is the gap that exists between children from higher educated and more affluent families and less educated and lower income families. The gap is between the number of words heard starting from birth. The more words a child hears since the day they were born, the better. The children in the stories of the previous posts will possibly be experiencing a really low number of words over all. They won't be delayed because of it. But, they will be worse off and on the short end or the stick when considering the language gap. I, myself taught my babies signs. One used it and one didn't. They both have normal development. But my story of my two children means nothing. The evidence is in the sheer quantities of real research. Even if I said I noticed something based on 20 kids. That's not real evidence. It would only represent a small population: children I would encounter, in my geographic area, in my socioeconomic class (and maybe slight above and below). It would only be the types of families who have found me for their care and chosen to work with me, etc. One person's experiences can't be used as a basis of evidence for something like this- especially when all scientifically accepted accounts are to the contrary.
Originally Posted by Mom2Two:
Oh my gosh, signing doesn't cause speech delay, and children don't learn to speak just because someone insists that they talk. children learn language by listening to what is spoken around them. If anyone thinks they're picking up an association between signing and speech delay, it's probably just that speech delayed children who have learned sign, will use THAT instead of being SILENT or using gestures/tantrums.
Language learning is innate, it's not actively or formally taught to children. It's just a normal part of brain development. You'd have to actually muzzle a hearing child 24/7 to prevent them from learning to speak.
And speech is just one part of language learning. Language development is measured in many ways besides how well they articulate.

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MarinaVanessa 10:56 AM 12-10-2015
I agree with the idea that sign language doesn't cause speech delay if done properly. I teach my daycare kids and my own children simple sign language once they are 6 months old and older until they have a basic mastery of language. I have found that ever since doing this the LO's throw less tantrums and even my late talkers can get their point across easier. Like many others have said, the point is to teach the sign while also using language and encouraging the children to use verbal words ... not just the sign.

There are many other variables that could affect a child not using verbal language. I have been teaching my kids and the daycare kids for may years with pretty good success and my own 3yo DS is a late talker. I use the same methods on him that I have always used on my own kids and the daycare kids but my DS just doesn't want to talk. His pediatrician and I are both on alert as he is not talking as much as he should verbally but he does get his point across. It just seems like he may feel he does not have the need to talk. He uses signs to communicate and has 2 older siblings that "talk" for him or meet his needs without him needing to talk. When they play together and my 3yo wants something he points and grunts and my other kids will ask him/show him what they think he wants and ask him if that's what he wants and he'll nod his head and grunt while smiling, if they get it wrong he'll shake his head, frown and grunt ... they'll rinse and repeat until they get it right etc. or just tell him to show them and he'll point.

Having them do this makes it harder for my husband and I to teach him to verbally speak but they're kids and it's just another hurdle for us to work on. We hear from several of our friends and from his pediatrician that when young children have older siblings several things can happen, they can learn to talk sooner or they take longer to talk because they are spoken for. Single children can also take longer to talk if they aren't spoken to enough, not read to alot etc ... pretty much if they aren't exposed to language as much as children with siblings or with family members that expose them to a lot language.

IME simple sign has been a valuable tool for myself and my clients.
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Tags:baby signs, speech - delayed
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