Baby Sign vs Key Word Sign: Are They the Same Thing?
‘Baby Sign’ is trending at the moment. You’ve probably come across it in parenting forums, early childhood environments, Youtube and of course from the mumfluencers. There’s got to be something to this fad right?
Parents are encouraged to teach signs like more, milk, finished, often with the promise that it will support early communication.
At the same time, in clinical settings, we use something called Key Word Sign (KWS).
So it’s a fair question:
Are they the same thing?
The short answer is: not quite.
What is “Baby Sign”?
“Baby sign” is typically used in everyday parenting contexts.
It usually involves:
Teaching a small number of functional signs
Focusing on routines (e.g., eat, more, sleep)
Used with typically developing children
Often shared through books, social media, or parenting programs
It’s become popular because it’s:
simple
accessible
easy to implement at home
And importantly, it can support early communication before speech develops.
However, many of the apps and Youtube videos are teaching American Sign Language signs rather than Australian Sign Language (AUSLAN)signs.
What is Key Word Sign?
Key Word Sign, on the other hand, is a clinical communication strategy.
It involves:
Using signs alongside spoken language
Highlighting the key words in a message
Embedding signs into natural communication (not just isolated words)
In Australia, we adapt AUSLAN signs
Being part of a broader AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) approach
It is often used with:
children with language delays
autistic children
children with developmental differences
early communicators who need additional support
Where the Confusion Happens
On the surface, they can look very similar.
Both involve: using signs, alongside speech, in early communication
But the intent and application are different.
Baby sign is often:
word-based
routine-based
parent-led
Key Word Sign is:
concept-based
embedded in language
used intentionally to support understanding and expression
Is Baby Sign “Wrong”?
Not at all!
Using signs with babies can:
support early communication
reduce frustration
encourage interaction
But it’s important not to oversimplify what signing does. It’s not a “quick fix,” and it doesn’t replace the need for rich language input or intervention when there is a delay.
Why This Distinction Matters Clinically
When we blur the lines between baby sign and Key Word Sign, we risk:
underestimating the complexity of communication
missing opportunities to support language more deeply
misunderstanding how to use signs effectively
unintentionally using signs from different sign systems (e.g., American Sign Language) without realising
Key Word Sign is not just about teaching a child to request more.
It’s about:
supporting comprehension
building shared meaning
integrating communication across contexts
Bringing It Back to Practice
Families are already using signs. They’re seeing it on Instagram, YouTube, and in parent groups. Our role as speech pathologists isn’t to dismiss that.
At Little Birds, it’s to:
guide
clarify
build on what families are already doing
And help them move from: isolated signs to meaningful, connected communication
Because signs on their own are just the starting point.
What matters is how they are used to support:
understanding
interaction
and language development over time
And if a child is showing signs of communication delay, this is where support from a speech pathologist can make a real difference.
Early support helps ensure that:
signs are used intentionally
spoken language continues to be modelled
and communication is developing across all environments and languages
At Little Birds, we take a multimodal and culturally responsive approach supporting children to communicate in ways that reflect their whole world, not just one language or one system.
Final Thought
Baby Sign has helped bring signing into everyday conversations and that’s a positive, but Key Word Sign gives us the framework to use it intentionally.
Because in the end, it’s not about the signs themselves.
It’s about what they support: connection, understanding, and communication.
Want to learn more?
If you have concerns about your child’s language development, we’re here to help. Feel free to reach out to the Little Birds team, we’d love to support you and your child on their communication journey.
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References
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (n.d.). Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). https://www.asha.org/practice-portal/professional-issues/augmentative-and-alternative-communication/
Goodwyn, S. W., Acredolo, L. P., & Brown, C. A. (2000). Impact of symbolic gesturing on early language development. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 24(2), 81–103. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006653828895
Goldin-Meadow, S. (2009). How gesture promotes learning throughout childhood. Child Development Perspectives, 3(2), 106–111. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1750-8606.2009.00088.x
Key Word Sign Australia. (n.d.). Research. https://kwsa.org.au/research/
Speech Pathology Australia. (n.d.). Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). https://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.a
