Hearing babies use sign language

Signing with hearing babies was developed by Dr Joseph Garcia

A group of mothers have started their own sign language group for hearing babies to try to communicate with them before they learn to speak.

Simple actions accompany pictures at the Baby Boffins sessions in Hastings, East Sussex, using an idea originally pioneered in the US.

It has been set up with the help of the government's Sure Start programme, which means it is free.

Co-founder Sarah Stone said signing relieved the frustration in babies.

She said her children were signing sentences to her from the age of 13 months, and communicating their basic needs very clearly.

The bond between parents and infants are stronger with signing

The method of signing with hearing babies by hearing parents was developed by Dr Joseph Garcia, an American child development expert.

After working as an interpreter, he noticed how hearing babies of deaf parents could communicate their needs at a much earlier age than children of hearing parents who did not use signs.

He also noticed how it reduced levels of frustration in a child and helped build up the bond between parent and infant.

Language experts have expressed concern the use of signing could take priority over the need for parents to talk to the children.

But co-founder of Baby Boffins, Helen Cross, disagrees and says it actually enhanced their speech.

"They grow in confidence, and a confident child will speak more, not less," she said.