Lanka enrolled in a "SignBabySign" workshop a month ago and is actively working with her son to enhance his communication skills. Pediatric audiologist Wendy Jumonville and speech and language pathologist Shannon Farho teach a two-hour workshop for parents to learn about 30 basic signs to use with their normal hearing babies and toddlers.

Sign language has been taught to children with various disabilities for years, in particular children who are deaf or have disorders that delay their communication skills, such as autism and Down syndrome. In recent years, however, the benefits of teaching sign language to normal hearing children are being realized.

"Research has shown that teaching sign language to babies enhances their verbal language development and cognition, raises IQ levels and reinforces important motor skills," Farho said.

Awareness in the general public about signing with babies was raised in the recent movie, "Meet the Fockers," where Robert DeNiro's character signed with his grandson.

Lanka uses several signs with her baby every day -- eat, drink, more, book, cat, stop and thank you -- in the context of those activities. She signs each word at the same time as she says it and repeats it often. "I feel like he's going to have a real breakthrough (in signing) very soon," she said. He's watching me very intently and he's babbling a lot more.

"I took the class because I feel that I want to give him every advantage I can to help him communicate and socialize." While Gavin doesn't have all the verbal skills he needs to communicate yet, he does have the motor, visual and cognitive abilities to sign, she said. And, even though he's only using one sign so far (nursing), he understands others, she said.

Parents and their children need to work together and adapt what works best for them, she said. "For example, I like to use the sign for 'stop,' rather than 'don't touch,' because it's one sign instead of two and works for many situations," Lanka said as she signed 'stop' to Gavin when he reached for her laptop computer.

Babies can be taught to sign as early as 7 months of age, Jumonville said. Their class is for families with children between the ages of 7 months and 3 years. "Some people think that if you teach a baby to sign, you'll delay his verbal skills, but the opposite is true," she said.

Verbal skills develop on the left side of the brain while sign language is a right brain activity, Farho said. "The baby is using both sides of the brain, and they complement each other and build new synapses and connections." Studies have documented that children who sign have a larger vocabulary and better play skills, she said. "It's just another tool."

Fine motor skills are developed through signing, which also reinforces specific skills such as connecting at the mid-line, for example when bringing both hands together to sign for "more."

Babies who learn to sign are also less frustrated because they are able to communicate their needs and they are less likely to throw tantrums, she said.

"I'm pretty good at picking up on nonverbal clues about what Gavin needs, but I'd be more comfortable leaving him with sitters and other people if he can sign to them," Lanka said.

The objective is not to teach parents and children to sign every word, but to learn and use common signs for basic everyday communication, Jumonville said. Facial gestures and body language are encouraged as well.

Farho and Jumonville, who are certified to teach "SignBabySign," held their first workshop here in April. They have taught four so far, with two more scheduled. (See box.) The techniques they teach in the hands-on workshop are particularly effective if they are taught and used by those who come into close contact with the child every day -- parents, siblings, grandparents and child-care workers.

The two women said they hope to educate pediatricians about the benefits of signing as well in hopes they will refer new parents to the workshop. They've already had requests to teach additional classes and are considering theme workshops on specific topics, such as food, families, animals and holidays.

When asked what their favorite signs are, Farho pointed her right index finger up and waved it left and right for "where," and Jumonville lifted both hands for "all done."

"We both raised children and we know what communication is between parents and kids," Farho said. "We've been there."

By Laurie Smith Anderson