Does Sign Language Help or Delay Speech?
The short answer
Research consistently shows that sign language does NOT delay speech development. In fact, it can support and enhance spoken language. Signing gives children a way to communicate before they can speak, reducing frustration and building the foundational skills needed for verbal language, including turn-taking, vocabulary, and the understanding that communication has power. Many speech-language pathologists use signs as a bridge to spoken language in therapy. Children naturally drop signs as they acquire the spoken words.
Parents everywhere have the same worry. You are doing the right thing by looking into it.
By Age
What to expect by age
Babies can learn simple signs like "more," "all done," and "milk" well before they can speak. Using signs alongside spoken words builds vocabulary understanding and gives babies a way to express needs. Always say the word while signing it.
Signs can bridge the gap between understanding and speaking. A child who can sign "help" or "want" is less frustrated than one who cannot communicate at all. Research shows that signing babies often speak earlier, not later.
As spoken words emerge, children naturally transition from signs to speech. You may see them sign and say a word simultaneously for a while. Continue to model both the sign and the spoken word. Do not withhold speech modeling.
For children with speech delays, signs remain a valuable communication tool. SLPs often use signs as part of a total communication approach. Signs support word retrieval and reduce frustration while spoken language develops.
Most children have transitioned fully to spoken language by this age. Children with more significant delays may continue to benefit from signs as a supplement. The goal is effective communication, whatever form it takes.
What Should You Do?
When to take action
- Your child uses signs and is also developing spoken words
- Your child is transitioning from signs to speech naturally
- Your child signs with you and babbles or uses words too
- Your child dropped signs as spoken words emerged
- Your child relies heavily on signs and is not adding spoken words
- Your child is over 2 and only communicates through signs with minimal speech attempts
- You want guidance on how to use signs effectively to support speech development
- Your child is not communicating through signs OR speech
- Your child has stopped attempting to communicate altogether
- Your child is losing both signed and spoken communication skills
Sources
Related Resources
Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong, reach out to your pediatrician.
Worrying about your baby means you care. That is a good thing.
Related Speech Concerns
Does My Child Need an AAC Device?
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) includes any tool that supplements or replaces spoken language, from simple picture boards to high-tech speech-generating devices. AAC does NOT prevent or delay speech development. Research consistently shows that AAC actually supports spoken language development. If your child is struggling to communicate verbally, AAC gives them a voice right now while continuing to build spoken language skills. Every child deserves a way to communicate, and AAC can be that bridge.
Toddler Understands Everything but Won't Talk
An expressive-only language delay, where a child understands language well but produces few or no words, is the most common type of language delay. These children often have strong comprehension, use gestures effectively, and are socially engaged. Many catch up on their own, but a speech evaluation is recommended to determine whether your child would benefit from support.
Speech Therapy Activities to Do at Home
The most powerful speech therapy happens during your everyday routines. You do not need special materials or training. Talk about what you are doing during diaper changes, meals, and play. Follow your child's interests and narrate their actions. Wait expectantly after asking a question to give your child time to respond. Read together daily and pause to let your child fill in words. Reduce screen time and increase face-to-face interaction. These simple strategies can significantly boost your child's communication development.
Accent vs Speech Disorder in Bilingual Toddlers
When toddlers grow up hearing more than one language, they naturally blend sounds, patterns, and accents from both languages. This is normal and healthy, not a speech disorder. A bilingual child may pronounce some sounds differently than monolingual peers because they are learning the sound systems of two languages simultaneously. True speech disorders affect both languages equally, while accent influence appears only in specific sounds borrowed from one language to another.
Ear Fluid Affecting Baby's Speech Development
Chronic or recurrent middle ear fluid (otitis media with effusion) can temporarily reduce hearing by 15 to 40 decibels, which is like hearing through water. During critical periods of language learning, this muffled hearing can impact speech and language development. If your baby has frequent ear infections or persistent fluid, discuss the potential speech impact with your pediatrician.
Will Ear Tubes Help My Child's Speech?
Ear tubes (tympanostomy tubes) can restore normal hearing by draining persistent fluid from the middle ear. Many children show speech and language improvement within weeks to months after tube placement, particularly if hearing loss from fluid was contributing to their speech delay. However, ear tubes alone may not resolve all speech delays, and some children benefit from speech therapy alongside tube placement.