NEXT time you see a baby with a finger stuck in its mouth it could be trying to tell you something.

Calne mother-of-two Jo Williamson, 30, teaches sign language to mums and their babies to help them communicate with each other before the babies learn to speak.

Mrs Williams said the key signs when starting to teach mums and toddlers, who are aged between four months and two years, are food, drink and milk, but the most incredible point of their teaching is when the babies first sign back to their parents.

She said research has shown that when parents sign with their pre-verbal babies the children speak earlier, have a higher IQ, are less frustrated and develop a parental bond.

"If I'm changing my one-year-old son Connor at the end of the day and he's really screaming I just make the milk sign and he stops instantly because he knows what's coming next," said Mrs Williamson, of Westerham Walk.

"My husband didn't really believe it, but now he's into it and it really helps."

Mrs Williamson, who also has a six-year-old daughter Amber, started a class to teach other mothers in Patford House Surgery, in Calne.

It has proved so successful she plans to open two more classes in the family centre, in Broken Cross, next September.

The mothers, who are from Melksham, Calne and Swindon, take their babies with them for their lessons, which are held during school term time.

The sign language they learn is the same taught to deaf or dumb people, but is simplified for the children, who also learn songs using sign in their lessons.

For more information telephone Mrs Williamson on (01249) 817700.