The effects of baby sign training on child development

Although Baby Sign is gaining in popularity, there is a scarcity of research supporting its use. The research that has been conducted is conflicting. In the current study, nine families with children ranging in age from six months to two years and five months participated in a baby sign workshop. A pre–post-test design was used to assess the effects the baby sign training had on the communicative, cognitive, social, adaptive behaviour, and physical development. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to analyse the data. The data suggest that the baby sign training had a significant, positive impact on the overall development of the children. The use of baby sign was supported. Key aspects of baby sign training will be discussed.