The role of baby-sign in child development

How important is it for mothers to use hand gestures to communicate with their infants? This is the key question investigated by new research being showcased at the Economic and Social Research Council’s (ESRC) Festival of Social Science on 18 March.

The event ‘Communicating with Your Baby’ has been organised by Professor Karen Pine from the University of Hertfordshire. Members of her team, Neil Howlett and Dr Liz Kirk, will be sharing their findings on ‘baby-sign’- a form of non-verbal communication for infants.

Baby sign language is increasingly popular in the UK. It is based on hand gestures, which enable mothers to interact with their baby before he or she is able to talk. This method means infants can communicate if they are hungry or want to play.

Risk of language delay

Signing with babies can help some children from disadvantaged backgrounds, such as those from low-income households. Yet the majority of mothers who take their babies to baby-sign classes are well educated and from higher-income households. These babies enjoy a healthy home learning environment so are unlikely to need baby sign. Professor Pine’s research suggests mothers may be 'overcompensating' by buying baby-sign classes or materials.

Professor Pine comments: “We have found that encouraging mothers to use simple hand gestures with their infants can have linguistic and wider non-linguistic benefits for infants, mainly for those who are at risk of language delay, because of social deprivation, low parental education or other factors. It is of prime importance that the outcomes of the research are made available to the community so that interventions are targeted at those who need it.”

Walk into a bond with your baby

The event is targeted at mothers, especially those from low income backgrounds who want to bond better with their babies and learn interaction techniques. A speech and language therapist will be there on the day running special ‘communicating with your baby’ sessions.

Parents will also be given handouts to take away and keep on the benefits of non-verbal communication. Anyone who has questions about Professor Pine’s study can talk to the research team on the day.

The organisers have ensured the event is parent-friendly with a special seating area and soft-play zone as well as refreshments and snacks. People are welcome to just walk in from the street and take part in sessions.

Provided by University of Hertfordshire