Language development does not only refer to verbal language. Typically, children actually reach a number of different milestones when developing communication skills before they speak their first word! Things like eye contact and gestures often emerge prior to spoken language and you can even communicate with your baby this way!

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Using gestures and symbolic communication usually emerges around 8 to 10 months and you can encourage your child to do this by using Key Word Sign with them at home. Introducing these signs gives young children a concrete way to express themselves before the emergence of verbal language.​ These signs could be from a formal system like Australian Sign Language (AUSLAN) - this is what Key Word Sign is derived from - or they could be informal gestures that we use day-to-day.

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The research out there indicates that, as Goodwyn et al. (2000) write, “the symbolic gesturing experience seems to ‘jump start’ verbal development.” A 2016 study (Barker, 2016) suggests that this finding applies to children who are developing along a typical progression as well as those with communication delays. Additionally, there is some evidence to suggest that those children who used more symbolic gestures in communicating had larger vocabularies by 24 months. Not to mention an increase in confidence because they can express their thoughts and feelings!