the importance of gestures
Hi there! Welcome to SG Speech Therapy, where we believe in helping children communicate effectively through speech and language. Today, we want to talk about the importance of gestures in your child's communication development.
Gestures are a natural part of human communication, and they start to emerge in babies as early as six months old. These gestures are nonverbal cues that accompany speech, such as pointing, waving, and nodding. They are important because they help children convey their thoughts and feelings, even before they are able to express themselves through words.
Here are some reasons why gestures are crucial for your child's speech and language development:
Facilitating Communication: When children use gestures, they can communicate their needs and desires even if they don't have the words to do so. For example, if your child points to a toy, it shows that they want to play with it. As a parent or caregiver, you can respond to their gesture and help them get what they want. This can prevent frustration and tantrums that can arise when a child is unable to express themselves.
Developing Language: Gestures are closely linked to language development. Children who use gestures tend to have better language skills than those who don't. This is because gestures help children learn and remember words. When a child hears a word while seeing its associated gesture, they are more likely to remember the word and its meaning.
Improving Social Skills: Gestures also play a significant role in social development. They help children understand social cues, such as when someone is happy or sad. When children use gestures to communicate, they learn to read other people's gestures and facial expressions, which is essential for social interaction.
As you can see, gestures are an essential part of your child's communication development. As a parent or caregiver, you can encourage your child to use gestures by modeling them yourself. For example, if your child points to a ball, you can respond by saying "ball" and pointing to it yourself. You can also use simple gestures, such as waving or blowing kisses, to encourage your child to do the same.
What gestures have been the most helpful for you and your little?! We’d love to know!
At SG Speech Therapy, we understand the importance of gestures in your child's communication development. Our therapists are trained to work with children of all ages and abilities, using a range of strategies to help them communicate effectively. If you have concerns about your child's speech and language development, please don't hesitate to contact us. We're here to help!