After finding out your baby is deaf or hard-of-hearing, you need to learn effective ways to communicate with your child. A referral to a speech-language pathologist can help -- this person is trained in how to teach a deaf person how to use language and she can direct you to the resources you will need. It's important to remember that your baby is learning, even though it seems as though she's not picking up on any sign words. As your baby is learning sign language, she needs you to use it every day. The baby will learn much more slowly if you do not use sign language consistently.
Step 1
Start teaching your baby one sign at a time, based on his interests. If he likes cars and trucks, for instance, use signing words related to vehicles. Food and drink-related words are also good signing words to begin with.
Step 2
Talk to your baby at the same time that you make the sign for what you are saying. If you are asking your baby if she wants a bottle of milk, make the sign for milk.
Step 3
Use the signs as often as you can when you talk to your baby. It will take several weeks of repetition for her to begin making the connection to the spoken word, the object and the sign.
Step 4
Place yourself physically at your baby's level when you are signing with him. He will see you and the sign you are making much more easily. If you are off to his side, the sign you are making will be distorted and he will form that particular sign-word incorrectly.
Step 5
Speak the word you are signing as you are signing. You are giving your deaf child more opportunities to learn speech.
Step 6
Make up your own signs based on your child's needs. Depending on the sign you make up with your child, be consistent in using this sign along with the word so she makes the connection.
Step 7
Move at your baby's pace. Even if it seems like he isn't learning, he is.
Tips and Warnings
- Teaching your baby American Sign Language while he is an infant is not necessary. Get him started learning how to use signs, then, once he is communicating with you, find an ASL class for children his age. As you are teaching your baby sign language, involve other family members. The more opportunities she has to see a sign that matches a word, the faster she will learn that sign. Include words that tell your baby what you want him to do -- eat lunch, sleep or sit down. Give him motivational words as well. These can be signs for his favorite toys or activities.
