At the same time, she tapped on the baby's shoulder again. Combining all these strategies helped get the baby's attention. This baby learned the meaning of the tapping signal before she was 18 months old. At that age, she would look up at her mother quickly when her mother tapped lightly on her shoulder. It can be difficult to know exactly how often and how persistently to use the tapping signal with an individual baby.
Some babies seem almost to resist persistent tapping.
Others quickly notice and respond to tapping. Mothers need to be careful how they use the signal, and to be sensitive to their own baby's personality. You do not have to fill every moment with communication and language. It is more important to follow up on the baby's interests and make sure he or she can see your communication. This may require a lot of patience, because some babies will often not look up.