Baby learning to communicate without using their mouths (From This Is Lancashire)

Baby learning to communicate without using their mouths

11:24am Friday 18th April 2008 in

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FOR most parents, hearing their child speak its first words is a moment to treasure.

But now babies in Bolton are learning to communicate without even opening their mouths.

Baby signing uses a mixture of music, dance and sign language to help tots as young as six-months "say" words like mummy, daddy, drink and hungry.

Meghan Scott, aged 27, has been using the technique on her nine-month-old daughter Holly.

On Thursday, she launches a weekly Love and Cuddles class at Christ Church, Heaton, to help other mums do the same.

Miss Scott said: "Not only can babies learn to communicate with each other, it also provides real stimulation for them and can help them pick up speech much faster.

"As well as being good for your baby's development, it's also a lot of fun and helps youngsters mix with other babies. Holly has absolutely loved it since we started the signing."

Babies can pick up the signs from seven months onwards. Songs which incorporate the signs are specially written for the class and some babies can pick up the "language" in a few days.

Stories are also written for the groups, which will be divided into babies under one and tots aged one and over.

Miss Scott, of Dorset Street, The Haulgh, a former marketing coordinator for De Veres hotels, said: "Parents can interact with each other and enjoy a cup of coffee while watching their baby have fun and learn at the same time."

Caroline Wood has been running her Sing and Sign classes on Wednesdays and Saturdays at Lostock Parish Community Centre, in Tempest Road, for a year.

She said: "I started doing baby signing with my daughter, Kirsten, when she was six months old. I was absolutely bowled over, both by how easy it was to learn and by how she took.

"Not only did it help us to communicate well before she could talk, she is now two-and-a-half and has an amazing vocabulary."

The national Sing and Sign company has just won an award from website What's On 4 Little Ones for the quality of its classes.

For details about the Heaton classes call Meghan on 07973442262 or email meghanscott@yahoo.co.uk. To find out about classes in Lostock, call Caroline on 0161 4082432 or email carolinewood@singandsign.co.uk.