Of course I loved hearing my children’s first words – their sweet little voices and the way they pronounced things… But before they used 
spoken language, they were already signing. We kept lists of single signs, in addition to 2 and 3 sign phrases that they used regularly and appropriately at such a young age that it was long before they began to speak. I was thrilled beyond belief to see them communicating with a real language. It wasn’t easy to capture on film – especially with the technology at that time – but it’s instilled in my visual memory like a photo album. Yes, I knew I had hearing children, but hearing status does not determine speech ability or language use. I was comforted by the fact that if, for any reason, my children didn’t or couldn’t develop speech, they would still be successful because they had such strong language. And signing doesn’t have to end because speech begins – it helps clarify spoken language, it connects two different spoken languages, it fosters bilingualism as it’s a language in its own right, it provides experience and connection with another culture, and (in my opinion) it’s a deeply personal way to express oneself.
On our social media pages (@mybabyfingers and @babyfingersasl), we have shared “first sign” videos from our clients; they’re a joy to see as well as to share. Check out our new posts there. They are motivating and inspirational, meaningful and touching, and downright adorable. They are also a result of accessible language, which means accessible receptively (to see and/or hear), and accessible expressively (to use). It’s not typical for a 6 month old to say “milk” or “mommy” or “more” but they might be able to sign it and that’s just as important, equally exciting – maybe even more exciting initially because it can happen at such a young age. Our babies understand the world around them well before we realize; they’re aware of their needs and the people in their lives, they know when they’re uncomfortable or feeling loved, they just don’t know how to tell us. When they can express themselves, we are offered a window into their thoughts and a lesson on their intelligence!
My older son’s first sign, just after 6 months old, was an approximation of I Love You. I mean, wow. Really. I cried. Whatever he understood about the words, he knew it was something we said and signed to him several times a day every day. It had to be special and important, and he wanted to tell us too. He used an approximation, which is how language use begins – more than a babble but not quite a precisely enunciated word yet; language based, however, not just a gesture or a sound. At 10 months he asked for “more music” when his mobile stopped playing. At 13 months he signed “more crackers please” and it just continued! He signed things he remembered from earlier in the day or how he was feeling… my younger son’s language development was similar, and he picked up many of his signs from big brother who deliberately modeled them or naturally used them to either emphasize or clarify his spoken words in conversation with us.
But before a child can use language, s/he has to understand language, and that requires accessibility. The videos of a child who is exposed to sound at implant activation are emotional just as the first words/signs are – but it’s important to realize that unless that deaf child had sign language at home prior to activation (to pair with the words s/he may now hear), the sounds will not yet have meaning. It takes time for words – in any language – to be understood. One day when my older son was 5 months old, we were playing on the floor with several of his favorite little toys around him. One was a cow, which he really loved and we signed ‘cow’ often. That day, I asked him – in ASL only without voice – “Where’s your cow?” … my 5 month old baby looked around at his toys and pushed his little cow toward me. I told you, they get it. Both my boys, well before they began to sign, understood it – they calmed down when I signed ‘milk’; they got excited or looked around when I signed ‘daddy’s home.’
I was hugely pregnant with my younger son when an elderly member of my husband’s family passed away. We were invited to bring our toddler with us to pay our respects and he got away from me in their very large, very fancy living room. Between my huge belly, the furniture and all the people, I couldn’t get to him before he reached a set of glass shelves filled with fragile things. Oh no. Fortunately, before reaching for them, he turned and looked at me. With the most strict expression I could muster, I signed ‘Touch NO’ – and he listened! He heaved a disappointed sigh and came back over to me without incident. Whew!
SO many benefits! Sign language helped my children learn synonyms and fostered their interest in books and guided their understanding of new words in print or in spoken language (English & Spanish at the time). It allowed them to ‘speak’ with their mouths full or to tell us something privately and to converse with one another through a window or across the playground. Sign language helped my children become comfortable around people who are Deaf and to be sensitive when someone communicates differently than they do…
There’s a lot of controversy with regard to technology – not because people who are Deaf don’t appreciate it or can’t benefit from it (many do), but because too many professionals working with deaf children tell their hearing parents not to sign – that it’s detrimental to their language development, their ability to speak and their overall success. I’m not going to talk further about that here except to say that technology may assist – it doesn’t change hearing status – so it can be coupled with sign; and speech is not synonymous with language. There’s more but not for this post.
Today I want to celebrate – first signs, signed phrases, understanding signs, true language development… I want to celebrate our teachers at Baby Fingers, without whom I would not be able to reach as many families as we do… and I want to celebrate our families who have nestled themselves into our hearts and who delight us each time we are in classes together. We appreciate your time, your enthusiasm, and that you share your children and their growth with us. We’re turning 20 in January and we have so much to celebrate in the coming year – but first, we’re feeling grateful for what we already have. XO
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