Language development (psychology) - psylex

Research / news on human language development

Shy toddlers understand more than they say

Shy toddlers often have delayed language development, but they still understand what is being said, a new study from the University of Colorado-Boulder found.

Shyness and language development

Speech delay, but no delay in understanding

However, the research team only found evidence to support one hypothesis: shy little children have a speech delay, but there is no delay in understanding.

"Behaved children who speak little should not be underestimated", said Soo Rhee, author of the study and professor of psychology and neurobiology.

"Parents and teachers should know, that the children have to be encouraged in their expressive language development (i.e. to speak)."

"It is good news that toddlers are not in their understanding, but do not want to speak, can also have negative long-term consequences, such as poor self-control and social problems", she said.

Smartphones and tablets delay language development in young children?

06.05.2017 Smartphones, tablets, electronic games and other portable electronic devices are being used more and more often by toddlers even before they acquire language; a new psychological study links these devices and the Delay in language development.

The one on the Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting 2017 presented study from the University of Toronto examined the data of 894 children aged between 6 months and 2 years (the TARGet Kids! study between 2011 and 2015).

It was found that after an 18-month review of the children, 20 percent used electronic portable devices on average for 28 minutes, according to the parents’ reports.

The more time a child spent with these devices, the more likely they were to show a delay in expressive speech (measured with a speech delay test), the psychologists write.

Image: PublicDomainPictures (pixabay)

For every 30 minutes increase in smartphone, tablet, etc. use, the researchers found a 49 percent increase in risk of delay in language development.

There was no apparent connection between screen time spent on portable devices and other communication delays, such as social interactions, body language, or gestures.

Study author and psychologist Dr. Catherine Birken would like further research to understand the mechanisms and causes of the link between screen activity and speech delay.

In addition, factors such as the time spent on equipment with parents should also be analyzed to determine the impact on the Understanding development of language in early childhood includes birch trees.