Language Development In Infants And Toddlers

-

 


 Language development in infants and toddlers is a fascinating and very complex process which lays the foundation for future communication skills. From the moment infants and toddlers are born, they begin to develop the foundation of language skills that will serve throughout their lives. Find below some of the key aspects of language development in infants and toddlers:

1. Cooing and vocal play (0-4 months old):

At this stage of development, infants begin to make cooing sounds and engage in vocal play, experimenting with different sounds and tones.

2. Babbling (4-6 months old):

The infants begin babbling, making consonant-vowel combinations and imitating sounds they hear around them. 

3. First words (6-9 months old):

Infants say their first words, often very simple ones like "mama" and/ or "papa." 

4. Vocal imitation (9-12 months old):

Infants imitate sounds and words they hear, starting to develop their vocabularies. 

5. Simple sentences (12-18 months):

The toddlers begin to combine words together to form simple sentences (syntax).

6. Vocabulary expansion (18-24 months old):

Toddlers' vocabularies expand rapidly, and they start using about 50 words. 

The following factors influence language development in infants and toddlers: 

1. Genetical factors can easily influence language development. Some children speak early and correctly whilst others experience delayed speech development (or impediment in speech) and disorders. 

2. Environmental factors are cases in point. The environment plays a key role in the overall development of mankind, including language development in infants and toddlers, the subject under discussion. Therefore, language skills in our environment are not exempted from the impacts or infuences of the environment on man. Hence, the infants and toddlers learn the language in the environment where they find themselves.

3. The quality of parent-child interaction, including responsiveness and sensitivity, can impact so much on the language development of a child.

4. The cognitive ability of a child, including attention and memory can influence language development in a child. A child's brain develops the frontal lobes at the age of six (6) in most children. The frontal lobes gives the child the ability to control or pay attention during school age. 

The following are useful tips for supporting language development in infants and toddlers:

1. Parents and caregivers are advised to engage in discussions or talking to their infants and toddlers much earlier before they start talking.

2. Reading books with children exposes them to new words (vocabularies) and sentence structures (syntax).

3. Parents and caregivers should always respond promptly to their children's cooings and babblings, and to gestures to encourage their communication development. 

4. They should use real objects to demonstrate and explain the meaning of words, and encourage vocabulary development by so doing. 

5. Parents and caregivers should drastically limit screen time to enable their children have opportunities for face-to-face interaction and language development.

Parents and caregivers are informed that if there is no babbling by six (6) months of a child's age, something is wrong somewhere! They should consult with a paediatrician. Secondly, if the child does not say any word by twelve (12) months of his/ her age, parents and caregivers should also consult with a paeditrician. Thirdly, if the child cannot combine two words together by twenty-four (24 months), of his/ her age, let the parents and caregivers consult with a paeditrician or speech pathologist too. The infants' brains are wired to recognize and mimic the sounds and rhythms of language, laying the foundation for future language skills. Between six and twelve (6-12) months, the brains' language centres begin to specialize, enabling infants to distinguish between different phonetic sounds. Hormones such as oxytocin and dopamine play key roles in regulating infants' social and emotional responses to language, influencing their motivation to communicate. The release of stress hormones like cortisol can impact toddlers' language development, highlighting the importance of providing a nurturing and supportive environment.

International agencies have emphasized the importance of language development in infants and toddlers, highlighting its impact on future cognitive, social, and emotional development. For example, the World Health Organization (WHO) has established language development milestones for infants and toddlers, providing guidance for healthcare providers and parents. It also emphasized the importance of early interaction between parents, caregivers, and infants, highlighting the impact on language development and future cognitive and social skills. The OECD, World Bank, UNICEF, and other international agencies have all supported language and literary programmes for young children, highlighting their impact on future academic achievements and economic opportunities.

In summary, as infants and toddlers grow and develop, their language skills will continue to evolve, shaping their relationships, academic successes, and future opportunities.

Please, kindly share this post with your friends and loved ones. Thank you very much.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Menace Of Parental Estrangement In The World

-
Image
Parental estrangement is a painful and complex issue that affects millions of families across all latitudes of the world, with disastrous implications for emotional distress, social isolation, loneliness, and long-lasting consequences for elderly parents, and their adult children. Wherever you go, you will see lonely elderly parents who lack food, clothes, shelter, and healthcare delivery services. Their adult sons and daughters are in the cities of their own countries, or have even migrated to other far away countries in quest of greener pastures to survive. Their hungry and helpless aged parents at the rural areas are depending on them for survival, whereas their children in the cities are earnestly struggling to succeed in the face of harsh economic conditions. Many of these adult children in the cities who have elderly parents at home are unemployed. Many of them receive very small wages at the end of the month. Their wages are unable to meet the financial needs of the nuclear fami...
Read more

Coping With A Resistant And Toxic Partner In The Family

-
Image
 Family dynamics are complex and challenging issues, especially when dealing with a resistant and toxic husband or wife. The emotional toll of living under the same roof with someone who is resistant to change and toxic in conducts and behaviours can be very painful and frustrating, affecting not only the involved spouse but also the children and other family members. A resistant and toxic partner can exhibit behaviours such as emotional manipulation, gaslighting, and blame-shifting. A resistant and toxic husband or wife is always right ( in his/ her own evaluation and reasoning), unwilling indeed to take responsibility of his/ her actions. Rather than coming down from his/ her high horse to apologize for his/ her fault, he/ she will begin to shift the blame to the partner or any other member of the family. He or she feels that he/ she cannot do anything wrong or faulty. This behaviour can be incredibly damaging, leading to feelings of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem....
Read more

Oral Health And Dental Care For Children

-
Image
  Good oral health is essential for children's overall well-being. Yet, many children suffer from dental problems that can have long-lasting consequences on their quality life, making it crucial for parents and caregivers to prioritize oral health and dental care from an early age of a child. The causes of  bad teeth development in children include: 1. Poor diet: Consumption of sugary or acidic foods and drinks can lead to both decay and erosion.  2. Inadequate oral hygiene: Infrequent teeth brushing and flossing can lead to plague build-up and tooth decay.  3. Genetical factors: Some children may be more prone to dental problems than others due to genetical factors. 4. Lack of fluoride:  Insufficient fluoride exposure can lead to weak and porous teeth.    5. Trauma: Accidents and injuries can damage the teeth and lead to long-term dental challenges. The causes of bad teeth development in children include: 1. Pain and discomfort:  Toothaches ...
Read more