Professor Karen Pine and researchers from Hertfordshire University carried out the study, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.
She said, 'We have found that encouraging mothers to use simple hand gestures with their infants can have linguistic and wider non-linguistic benefits for infants, but mainly for those who are at risk of language delay because of social deprivation, low parental education or other factors.'
Professor Pine said she would like to see baby signing classes being offered to low income families and 'targeted at those who need it'.
Using sign language before babies can talk is increasingly popular in the UK. However, the parents who take their babies to baby-signing classes tend to be well educated and middle-class.
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