Is baby sign language the same as ASL?
Not exactly. American Sign Language is a full language with its own grammar, as the NIH's deafness institute describes it. Baby sign usually means a handful of simple signs, often borrowed from ASL, that a baby can use before they can talk. Peabody's chart draws its first signs from ASL descriptions and links to the source for each.
Checked October 29, 2026.
Asked by families like yours and answered by Peabody editors. How we write and check. For your own child, your pediatrician knows best.
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Sources
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIH): American Sign Language (updated 29 Oct 2021) (checked October 29, 2026)
- ASL University (Lifeprint.com), William G. Vicars, Ed.D.: sign descriptions (checked October 29, 2026)