Some of y’all had questions about teaching Scarlette sign language. I’ve been doing sign language with Scarlette pretty much since she came home from the hospital. One time, I went to sign language camp. Have I ever told y’all the story about how my parents sent me to a different camp pretty much every single summer of my adolescence? I think sign language camp was the year after art camp but before horseback riding camp. I’m far from fluent but I guess I know more signs than the average kid who went to swim camp that summer. Also, I don’t know how to swim so I *think* swim camp would have been a better choice.
Honestly my goal with Scarlette was just to have a stimulating activity to do with her. Being a micro-preemie, there is very little to measure her development against. While the rule of thumb is to adjust her actual age down three and a half months, even that doesn’t give us much to go on since milestones vary wildly depending on the amount of trauma a preemie encountered. One one hand, Scarlette didn’t have a single brain bleed (not even a grade one!) which is incredibly rare for a baby born at 25 weeks. On the other hand, we signed consent forms for certain life-saving treatments that carried a risk of cerebral palsy or autism, in addition to the risks she carries just from being born so prematurely.
So I knew we had no way of knowing what Scarlette’s cognitive development was going to be like for awhile but I just wanted to give her the best start by doing whatever I could to stimulate her mind. I knew she couldn’t really LEARN sign language that early, it was just something she could focus on and track my hands with her eyes. It seems counter intuitive but sign language actually helps to develop verbal language skills. So I would sign as I sang the alphabet and as much as I could while we read books and played with toys.
And to be totally honest, after all that effort what actually made us see progress was the Baby Signing Time DVD*. I didn’t think we really needed it because we were already signing but my friend Erin recommended it and so we decided to try it. Within about two weeks of using it she started signing “milk” and “doggie” consistently, saying “mama” and she’s just started signing “eat.” Scarlette really loves music and so I think combining the signs with song is what helped. I sing the songs from the video now when we’re signing during the day and she seems to be more attentive that way. So basically what I’m saying is: I can’t take credit for it.
I am really happy with our choice to do sign language though. For Scarlette, she wants to do more physically than her body is ready for and you can tell she is easily frustrated by that. So I’m pleased to see her be able to communicate her needs more. Jeff and I watch the videos and do the signs with her and while I know it isn’t for everyone, it really works for us. I hope that answered some of the questions. If you have others, leave them in the comments and I’ll answer them there!
She’s not signing in these pictures. She’s just enamored with her toes.
About Kayla Aimee
Honestly? How much cuter could she be? =))
I LOVE her little tongue sticking out.
sweet girl!
“So I knew we had no way of knowing what Scarlette’s cognitive development was going to be like for awhile but I just wanted to give her the best start by doing whatever I could to stimulate her mind.” – This is why you are such a great mom. I love reading about all that you’ve been doing for your daughter since she was born, not knowing when it would help or if it would help her development at all. I hope no one has criticized you for your efforts. It is encouraging to me – keep up the great (hard) work, Kayla! Scarlette is clearly a genius, and I don’t think you should give away all the credit. You and Jeff ARE her parents.
ps. my Erin C. planner is in the mail on its way to me as we speak, I ordered it just days before my deal expired! Thanks again for helping me figure that out.
She should be a little baby model – she’s not only adorable, but charming, too!
I love this! I really want to do sign language with our baby, but I don’t know much sign language beyond the alphabet. This makes me so excited to try, though, anyhow! Thank you for sharing the recommendation about the DVD!
Jeff didn’t know any, not even the alphabet, but he picked it up super quick from the DVDs! You can totally do it!
Yay Scarlette! Way to go!!
I borrowed the 4 Baby Signing Time DVDs from our local library and my daughter loved them! I think we about wore them out and kept renewing them.
What a wonderful way to communicate with your beautiful daughter!
You honestly have the prettiest baby on the planet. At first glance, minus the adorable chubby cheeks, and lack of hair, her face looks like a 17 year old (infant sized of course). Those eyes sparkle like no other, she is absolutely beautiful. (:
I had to stop reading in the middle of this post because I couldn’t keep it together. I’ve treated a handul of preemie brain bleeds over the years but because of my rotation schedule I never really get to find out how they are doing long term. Sometimes I do see the kids with a history of it that now have shunts, etc. I guess I should be toughened up by now, but it makes me so worried and sad for those kids and their parents. I just hope and pray they are doing alright. I don’t really know you but I feel so so thankful she didn’t have one.
You’re writing is so insightful and bursting with love. Your dedication to her is a thing of beauty. What a smart idea and I know that it is hard to keep something up like that when you can’t really see the results. Thanks for the tips on baby signing, I will check out that DVD!
KA, I just wanted to say I think any signing to all babies is a great thing. Both my girls where taught some sign language from when they where just months old. I think it has helped both them & me communicate better & I agree it helps them to talk as well. Lils’ my 19month old is still signing some things but tries to tell us as well. Keep up the great work & Scarlette is such a cutie xoxoxo
Of course, toes are FABULOUS!
I did signing with my son and he was using two word sentences at 11 months and had the vocab of a 3 year old before he was 2. I’m sure the signing contributed and he loved being able to communicate his needs. Teaching him the sign for “help” was invaluable for reducing his frustration when something was too hard for him – he knew he could just ask for help so he didn’t have to freak out! Also, that is one stunning little girl you have there!
I LOVE that you are signing with sweet Scarlette. We did sign language with our now 4 year old daughter as soon as we got home from the hospital with her from her heart surgery at a month old. I too, decided to give her the best chance possible with learning and language. We (mostly me!) were concerned with her cognitive abilities since she lacked oxygen for the first 12 hours after she was born when we didn’t know she had a heart defect. Signing was the BEST thing we did for her. Even before she could sign back, she was watching our hands every time we would talk to her. Really helped with temper tantrums as she got older as well, since she could “tell” us what she needed. Even now, when she is frustrated with us – or desperately hungry, as she calls it – she will resort back to signing to us. Very cute. She is now helping us teach her little sister to sign as well. Keep it up super Mom! Love hearing your updates and Scarlette’s amazingly gorgeous photos!
I love that you’re signing with Scarlette and that she is signing back! So amazing! I have had the baby signing time dvds in my amazon cart for months debating whether or not to actually purchase them. I think you’ve convinced me to do it
I nanny for a now 16 month old baby and her mom and i have been signing to her since she was probably 4 months or so. She picked up quite a few of them from us and uses them regularly (now with the word also), such as “milk,” “more,” “again.” While baby girl can easily say “no,” she was really struggling with speaking “yes” or shaking her head for yes. Her mom started signing “yes” (one neither of us had been doing) and now she can communicate when she wants something which is great for us. Her mom just re-introduced the signing time DVD and she SO QUICKLY picked up “cracker,” and “bird” among a few others that we didn’t really use. Those DVDs are pretty awesome! I think signing is awesome in general, and I think it’s great you are teaching it to Scarlette!
I think it’s great that you are signing with her. My mom signs with my niece. While my niece has been yapping since oh about 9 months, it’s too cute! Her latest way to melt my mama…..”Bink Peas” as she signs more because she REALLY needs that Bink! LOL She’s only supposed to get it when she’s going to sleep, but keeping it real, I am pretty sure she’s gotten it a few more times from Gamma because of her cuteness! Scarlette is getting so big, and she’s absolutey adorable!
your baby girl is so incredibly gorgeous
and i think its so cool that you’re signing with her…she is such a miracle baby and seems like such a smart little bugger…i know God has great plans for her one day!
I’ve often wonder if it’s my fault Connor isn’t talking as much as Hadley did. I taught her sign language from very early on and her vocabulary at 2 was amazing. I stopped counting at 18 months and she had approx 150 words. Some were only understood by us, but amazing, nonetheless. I think I’ll start w/ C when he wakes from nap. It’s never too late.
I think boys just take longer to start talking abut I ALSO think second babies just talk less b/c they let the older ones do all the talking for them!
Is she in the clear for any complications from being a premie?
No, unfortunately signs of autism/cerebral palsy don’t present until babies are older so we have to wait that out. I feel pretty peaceful about that though. Right now her biggest problems are digestive – and oral issues from having so many tubes in her mouth for so long. But overall she’s doing miraculously well.
My little guy LOVES baby signing time. I have read that sign language is very stimulating and helps with their development. My hubs and I know most of the songs and signs and find our selves randomly singing them. Kind of embarassaing buts its all for the little ones right?
Lol! I make breakfast in the morning singing “it’s time to eat, eat what a treat!”