When it comes to speech and language development in children, there are some common misconceptions. Which can be very confusing for parents. Should we teaching our children sign language before they can say their first word. Should I ignore the looks I get in the grocery store when I engage in baby talk with my toddler in the grocery store?
It is important to remember, children progress at different rates. Be patient and try and understand just the fact about speech and language development.
Does using “baby talk” slow down speech development?
We’ve all heard that it isn’t good to talk baby talk to our babies and that it can even delay their language development. What is baby talk?
According to Lauren Lowrey, Hanen Certified Speech Language Pathologist, baby talk has a higher-than-normal and more varied pitch, a slower rate of speaking, simpler vocabulary, lots of repetition, emphasis of important words, and exaggerated, positive facial expression.
For example, instead of a mom asking their child if they “are ready for a bath?” They say in a higher than normal pitch, “are you weddy for a baff?
Any engagement is beneficial for a young child. Research has even shown some young children react well when their parents baby talk to them. It can help them block out background noise and focus on speech patterns.
After your child has some phrases down and is building their vocabulary, you want to model proper language pronunciation when possible. This typically happens around age 3.
When it comes to sign language, it doesn’t necessarily speed up language development
Many parents teach their young child sign language to communicate with them before they are able to talk. But it does not translate into accelerated speech and language skills.
According to a study from the University of Hertfordshire in England, Dr Liz Kirk found:
Although babies learned the gestures and used them to communicate long before they started talking, they did not learn the associated words any quicker than the non-gesturing babies, nor did they did they show enhanced language development.
While teaching your baby simple sign language before they can speak can help ease frustration for your child. There are many resources and proven actives to improve speech and language skills
When we equip a child with the skills, knowledge, and confidence, they will grow up to be the best they can be.
If you suspect your child has a speech -language disorder, early intervention makes all the difference. At First Words Speech Therapy we are dedicated to meeting your child’s speech and language disorder with personalized care.
