Sign With Your Baby (1999).  By Robert Berg, based on material from Joseph Garcia, produced by Bob Tarcea. Northlight Communications, 11395 5th Ave. NE, Seattle, WA 98125. 60 minutes, $39.95 (video only), $49.95 (complete learning kit). Reviewed by Debra Schober-Peterson, Atlanta.

This videotape, based on the work of Joseph Garcia, describes how parents and caregivers can use signing with their young children to foster and enhance communication during infancy. Included in the product are a 60-minute videotape, a 106-page book, and a quick reference guide. The videotape includes information regarding how to get started using signs, tips for success, parental discussions regarding experiences, and a comprehensive demonstration of signs. The book provides a thorough rationale for the approach and detailed information regarding how to use signs with infants, as well as commonly asked questions and a comprehensive guide to the145 signs included in the program. The quick reference guide provides users with a summary of commonly used signs.

The videotape, book, and quick reference guide are all of high quality and are well organized and easy to follow. All materials are presented at an appropriate instructional level for parents. The videotape is interesting to watch and of exceptional technical quality. The information is presented with appealing photos and brief vignettes of parent-child interactions using signs, and creative editing is used to illustrate major points. The accompanying book is easy to read, of high technical quality, and includes well-drawn sketches of all signs used in the program. The quick reference guide provides parents with an easy way to keep track of signs they have introduced and to document the signs their child has begun to use.

This package would be of great interest to many parents of infants, and it would be an appropriate product for pediatricians to recommend to families during well-child examinations. Speech-language pathologists need to be familiar with the use of signs with infants and older children exhibiting communication disorders, but the videotape and accompanying materials are specifically designed for parents. Professionals who work with families of young children may want to have a copy of the materials to loan to parents whose children are enrolled in early intervention programs since it clearly and completely explains the rationale and benefits of signing with young children. In addition, the most appropriate signs to introduce first and the importance of repetition and patience in fostering communication are emphasized. The videotape also would be useful for speech-language pathologists who consult with daycare centers as a tool to facilitate improved communication among teachers and the infants in their care.

In summary, this is an excellent resource for parents of infants who are interested in learning an effective way to communicate with their children before they have learned to speak. It clearly outlines what to do and how to do it. In addition, it documents many parents' successes with the approach.