All babies need language as often as possible and as early as possible. When a baby is born deaf, exposure to language is sometimes delayed as the parents try to figure out what to do. Deaf infants respond to sign language in much the same way that hearing babies do to spoken language. Early intervention is the key to providing a deaf infant with language fluency in sign language.
Time Frame
According to Tiara Malloy's 2003 study, "Sign Language Use for Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Hearing Babies: The Evidence Supports It," babies around nine months of age are going through a pivotal language phase. Whether an infant is deaf or hearing, the language skills he has at this stage will directly influence cognitive development. Malloy notes that a lack of exposure to early language and late acquisition of a first language can be detrimental to a child. She explains that a deaf baby who has sign language as his first language will still benefit fully, as the quality of communication is more important than the type of language.
Significance
Malloy's study states that sign language is the earliest possible method for babies to communicate, as physical gestures are possible before verbal ability develops. Both deaf and hearing babies stand to benefit from sign language, as it fosters early communication and contributes to literacy skills. Teaching infants to sign enables them to communicate what they want before they are able to vocalize, making life easier for parents and children alike.
Benefits
The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) states that people who learn American Sign Language (ASL) from birth are more proficient than those who learn it later in life. According to the NIDCD, ASL users exhibit a faster processing ability, which indicates that sign languages may improve some brain functions. Deaf children who learn sign language during early language acquisition are also in a better position to gain English language skills, because they already have a solid base to work with.
Considerations
Deaf babies who are not introduced to any language will still attempt to communicate, sometimes by inventing their own signs. If parents actively communicate with their deaf infants through sign language, the children will be able to gain natural fluency in their first language. Malloy's study shows that deaf children who engaged in language from infancy are more competent than those who experienced a delay in language acquisition.
Warning
Parents may choose to give their deaf infant a hearing aid or cochlear implant. While these devices may be effective in some people, they only enhance sound, they do not restore hearing. Language interaction must not be ignored. Implants and hearing aids cannot compensate for a lack of early introduction to language. As Malloy states in her paper, children who had a larger vocabulary prior to implants experienced greater language success than those with smaller vocabularies.
