Say it in signs.

Byline: Lewis Taylor The Register-Guard

It's an intriguing idea: that an infant could communicate before he or she is able to speak - and give parents an answer to the question, ``Just what is my child thinking right now?''

Or perhaps, more likely, ``Why is she screaming her head off?''

Parents and children as young as 5 months are answering these and other questions now, thanks to baby sign language, a means of communicating based on the American Sign Language commonly used by the deaf and hard of hearing.

"It helps kids begin the communication process earlier, and with that comes a lot less frustration," says Shirley Sieczkowski, an American Sign Language instructor and founder of Speaking Hands sign language instruction. ``When you start communicating earlier, you have a real jump on the whole growing up process.''

The reason toddlers are able to begin signing before speaking has to do with childhood development patterns. Although many children are ready to begin speaking before they are a year old, most haven't yet acquired the fine motor skills needed to produce words with their mouths. But they have acquired the gross motor skills that allow them to make words with their hands.

One of the most common concerns of parents is that learning baby sign language will interfere with their child's verbal language skills later on.

In fact, Sieczkowski and others say, it's just the opposite, and research shows that infants who learn sign language tend to have improved vocabularies.

The daughter of deaf parents, Sieczkowski learned to sign when she was 8 months old. She says she's seen children as young as 7 months using sign language effectively, as compared with the 12 to 24 months it takes most infants to begin verbalizing.

The process requires some work, though.

"The biggest problem that occurs is lack of consistency with the parents," Sieczkowski explains. ``It's very hard to do this without a parent's (full involvement).''

Karin Clarke, owner of the Karin Clarke Gallery in Eugene, and her husband, Robert Alexander Schwartz, taught their daughter Ava, now 19 months old, how to sign using a sign language book. She says the process was slower than she imagined, but ultimately rewarding.

`It's really fun, and it doesn't have to be this heavy duty, `this is going to be our daily lesson' kind of thing,' Clarke says.

Although Ava can now talk, Clarke continues to use sign language as a means of communicating, sometimes blending it with spoken words.

``She can say words, but sometimes she almost prefers her sign language,'' Clarke says. ``She'll say a word like `duck' or something, and then she'll say it again and then she'll sign it.''

Clarke says her daughter knows about 50 signs, and although she's still enjoying sign language, she doubts she will continue studying it now that she's started talking.

That's the case with many parents who learn baby sign language, says Christina Webb, director of the Portland Early Learning, a center that teaches sign language classes and workshops for kids ages 6 months to 24 months.

But, she says, kids can continue benefiting from sign language long after they have learned to verbalize. They can use signs to help them communicate more clearly, and signs can help children learn the difference between words. Webb uses the example of the homonyms "blue" and "blew," which are easier to distinguish when taught in conjunction with sign language.

Although American Sign Language has been around since the 1800s, baby sign language has come into widespread use only within the past few years, Webb says. Now schools are cropping up across the country, and some day care centers are teaching baby sign language. The best part about the practice for Webb is seeing the bonds within families grow stronger.

"I feel like we underestimate children and how much they do communicate," she says.

Experts say infants who learn baby sign language tend to be less fussy, especially during the infamous ``terrible twos.'' Signing, the theory goes, eases some pent up frustrations of early development.

"They're able to communicate much clearer, and when you start communicating earlier you have a real jump on the whole growing up process," Sieczkowski says.

Alexander Schwartz agrees. He says sign language has helped take the edge off of his daughter's frustration.

"There's still going to be some tantrums, but it's not going to be based on the frustration of not being able to communicate need," he explains.

Clarke says some of the most used signs in the house now include the ones for "more," "all done," "milk," "juice" and "water."

Clarke says baby sign language can be as intense as parents want to make it. In her case, it was more of a casual affair. As certain words came up in daily life, she looked them up and showed them to her daughter. And, when her daughter made her first sign at age 11 months (for the word "more"), Clarke says, it was just as exciting as when she verbalized her first word (``Hi'').

``It was totally exciting, and totally cute,'' she recalled. ``She was totally proud.''

BABY SIGN LANGUAGE

Why: Introducing American Sign Language to hearing children opens the doors to early communication, experts say. Parents can communicate with children before they are able to talk, and research shows that children who study sign language enjoy improved language and communication skills. Many parents say learning sign language can help prevent baby tantrums by providing an outlet during early development.

When: Most experts recommend starting your baby at about 7 months, but it's never too early to begin teaching your infant signs. It may take longer for an early starter to begin communicating, but the extra practice should pay off in the long run.

What it takes: Teaching your baby to sign requires a bit of work on the part of parents. Be prepared to devote some time to learning and teaching new words. Enrolling in a class can help provide structure and support to help keep you going. If you're learning on your own, buy a book or a video and stick to it.

Be patient: It takes time for babies to learn to actually use sign language. First, they have to understand the signs. Don't be discouraged if your child isn't actively communicating right away.

Words: Words such as ``more,'' ``milk'' and ``all done'' are some of the most commonly used signs for babies, but experts say they are also words a child doesn't need to know. For instance, a baby can communicate ``all done'' by spitting up. Focus on other words such as ``dog'' or ``light,'' which a child has no way of communicating.

Resources: Christina Webb, director of Portland Early Learning, recommends the book ``Signing Smart With Babies and Toddlers: A Parent's Strategy and Activity Guide.'' Shirley Sieczkowski, founder of Speaking Hands sign language instruction, suggests the video ``Sign With Your Baby.''

Instruction: For information on private instruction and classes, contact Speaking Hands at www.speakinghands.com or 954-9086. Contact the Portland Early Learning Center at www.portlandearlylearning.com or [phone] for information on Portland classes or to schedule a group workshop in your area.