Simplified Baby Sign Language?

[GoodyBrook]

A recent post about baby sign language got me thinking...

DS is 19 months old and choosing not to speak yet. (He understands so much, but just doesn't verbally respond). His only signs are "food" and "drink" that we use interchangably with "hungry" and "thirsty."  HE knows what he wants, and WE know what he wants, but others likely wouldn't.  :(

So many of the signs are complicated, but I'd love to find a website of simplified signs... Am I asking too much, or should we just go with family adaptations of the complicated signs and forget worrying about others being able to understand him?

I'd appreciate suggestions!

[peaches_04]

Nothing wrong with making up your own

[jellyphish]

What she said. It's not like babe is gonna get confused because "that's not the right son mom!"
I'm not dilligent at all, I'm simply teaching Hera to put her hands in the air for 'up,' and pat my chest for 'boobies,' simple and logical for a baby.

[jconney80]

Most signs are pretty simple but I don't see any harm in making them even simpler. It would be the same as if he was making them up himself and everyone around him would figure them out.

[jconney80]

I don't specifically know of any sites that have simplified signs though. I always taught my kids the regular sign and if they couldn't do it properly they came up with their own way of doing it and we figured it out. My youngest would clap her hands together for more until she could do the more difficult version. My son made his own versions of quite a few signs that were more difficult. Have you talked with Early Intervention about a speech delay? They may be able to give some tips on helping with speech or some ideas about baby signs. My 14 month old isn't talking at all yet but our EI therapist gave us some resources for helping her and she will probably start speech in a few months if she doesn't start speaking soon.

[TTC2Long]

Ds has a mix of ASL and his adaptations as well as a few of his very own. I think of it this way: as he grows, I want him to be able to communicate with my bff, who is deaf, but just as toddlers speak words that maybe only mama and daddy understand, then learn the correct version as they grow and their musculature develops. So, too, will his signs as he grows and his coordination improves. Same thing! He also babbles in sign to my bff, just as he babbles verbally with us.

[illegallyblonde]

If you have a smart phone or iPad there are many sign games and learning apps.