You probably don’t realize it, but your baby has been picking up language and speech from the womb. When your baby is born, his brain has around 100 billion neurons. These are the highest number of neurons your child will have during entire his lifetime. These neurons help him understand and make sense of the world around him.
It is these neurons that will help him learn a language, with no language classes or crash courses. By observing the world around them, and primarily through your help, the neurons in his brain make connections in your baby’s mind. With the right exposure, you can help keep these neurons active and alive so that your child picks up speech as early as his first birthday.
7 Ways To Get Your Baby To Talk Earlier
Here are 7 ways to get your baby to talk earlier:
Talk To Your Child
Talking to a one-month-old baby might not make sense, but your speech makes sense to your child. Even if your child cannot understand what you are saying, just listening to a loved one’s voice excites your child’s brain connections. Keep talking to your child.
A one-way conversation isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Talk to your child about the surroundings. Tell him what you are doing. What you are feeling. Ask him questions, lots of them. Turn his coos and oos into words. Sing to him. Learn those nursery rhymes. Keep your sentences short and keep repeating the same words and phrases during the early days.
Read With Your Child
Studies have reflected that you should start reading to your child, as early as the first few months. They probably won’t understand what you are reading, but reading exposes your child to new words and ideas.
For newborn babies, start with picture books. You can also try nursery rhymes and small stories. Up your level every few months, when you observe your child’s understanding of words and language development.
The best time to read with your child is bedtime. They get exposed to new vocabulary and words right before their brain takes the rest to recharge and develop for the next day. Reading at bedtime also helps your child to calm down, after a long day. It gets their body into sleep mode.
Developing a habit of reading, and love for learning will really help your child excel academically. I found this really amazing program for parents that will help them introduce reading and learning in a fun way to their children. And especially if you are thinking in the favor of homeschooling, you should check out Reading Headstart.
Limit Screen Time
Screen time, including mobiles, iPads, television, hinder your child’s language development. Research by the 2017 Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting suggests that every 30 minutes that a child spends in front of the screen increased expressive speech delays by 49%. Even if your child is watching educational videos, it counts as screen time.
If you have to use screen time, don’t use it as a substitute for the parent. Sit with your child, and turn it into precious bonding time.
Use the Correct Words
I have observed people talk to babies. Their voice suddenly becomes quite funny. They change the pronunciation of certain words. They shorten out the long words. Probably to make the child understand the word quickly.
Let me tell you this.
This isn’t helping your baby. Use the correct words and pronunciation. Use simple words if you have to. Make proper sentences when you talk.
A child is from the monkey see, monkey do world. He’s going to copy you and your language. When you use incorrect words, they copy those too. And when they go to school, you won’t be there to explain these words to his peers or teachers. It will take them as much time unlearning the word and relearning the right word and pronunciation.
Listen To Your Baby
The coos and oos of your baby are their first words. Don’t discount them as mere sounds. Respond to these sounds to get your baby to talk earlier. Your child needs your input to produce his first coherent word. Turn his coos and oos into words. Smile and laugh with him. This will encourage your child to turn those sounds into words and will get your baby to talk earlier.
Exaggerate your tone and words while talking to your baby. That’s called Parentese. Studies show the babies love these exaggerated words, more than your normal speech.
Encourage Hand Gestures
As your baby grows older, he will start using his hands and fingers as a form of language. Some ways he might be doing that is by pointing to a cookie he wants, waving goodbye or by clapping. Children who use more hand gestures develop speech faster than their peers.
You can use these hand gestures to prompt your child’s understanding of language. Explain the hand gesture. When he points to a cookie, ask him ‘Would you like a cookie?’
You can get your baby to talk earlier by these simple everyday activities. If your child hasn’t said his first words in 18 months, don’t stress. We help kids deal with language and other delays through the right stimulation techniques. Schedule an appointment today with our occupational therapist, Jennifer Davis.
