Submitted by Louise Sattler, Owner of Signing Families™

“How can I help my child learn to talk?” is often a question posed to me during new parent - child classes that I help to conduct monthly through a local hospital program.  My answer includes basic information about typical language development.  However, as a person who feels that multi-modal approaches are best for a variety of skill attainment, I often suggest speech in tandem with sign language as a method to help promote verbal / oral language.

I also will advise parents to check with their pediatrician if they feel that speech is delayed.  There are sometimes physiological reasons for speech lags, such as fluid in the ears or frequent ear infections. Also, parents who live in the United States are able to attain FREE early intervention consultations through their public school districts.  In order to do so, one must contact their local public school office for Early Intervention Services (or a similar titled program).  Parents need to know they should always send their request in writing as well as address their concerns via a phone call.  Requests are how one can convene the early intervention team to meet with a parent and child.  All requests must be answered.

I suggest to parents that if you have any ongoing concerns with their child, to go and make the call!  The best scenario is that you establish a baseline of your child’s development and find out that they are indeed within normative limits of development. And if they are “outside the norm” then early intervention can be set-up to help with their learning needs.  

Now back to how sign language can help a child develop skills.  Many times, children who have had a history of ear infections or fluid in the ear do have speech delays, albeit temporary in many cases.  Sign language can help bridge the communication gap until skills are developed and age appropriate. Also, sign language has been used to “cue” a child to use other skills, such as learning to use a fork to eat vs. their fingers, or encouraging them to walk instead of run in public places.

What signs should you start with to help your child?  Well, this is the part where a picture is worth a thousand words, or in my case - a few dozen.

The list I would start with is as follows for children aged 10 months to 2 years who are experiencing any speech delays. Note: this is a partial list and many more signs can and should be introduced. However I strongly suggest only learning and demonstrating five to ten at a time. Sign Language attainment is a skill to be learned to foster communication and is not a race. Children AND adults need time to integrate sign language into their daily lives.

Here is the partial list:

1. MORE
2. FINISHED
3. TIME FOR
4. EAT
5. SLEEP
6. POTTY
7. PLAY
8. DRINK
9. MOMMY
10. DADDY
11. PAIN
12. I LOVE YOU

Here are the signs in photo format:

#1: More

#2: Finished (Wiggle hands side to side. This is a verb and requires some ACTION when signing.)

#3: Time for...

#4: Eat

#5: Sleep

#6: Potty (Twist wrist back and forth two to three times.)

#7: Play (Wiggle hands side to side. This is a verb and requires some ACTION when signing.)

#8: Drink

#9: Mommy

#10: Daddy

#11: Pain

#12: I love you

ABOUT the Author:

Louise Sattler is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist and the owner of SIGNING FAMILIES™.  She also can be found on the HerInsight radio network show: Learning and Laughter with Louise - every Wednesday morning at 9a.m. EST (LIVE) (or on itunes).

In addition to writing guest posts for MommyPerks.com and EarlyChildhoodNews.net, Louise blogs for OurJourneyThruAutism.com, MyChildCareGuide.com, SafetyMom.com and is an Expert Contributor for Education.com.

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Want Louise to be a guest speaker at your school? Convention? Organizational meeting?  (She is pretty darn funny in person!)  Louise can chat about a lot of educational products and sign language within schools, homes and businesses.  Her newest series of workshops includes SIGN LANGUAGE FOR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS - ASL , ENGLISH and SPANISH.

Contact her through Signing Families™ or at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it