Baby Language Development

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Baby language development is critical in the early phase of a baby's life. Although language development is attainable later in life and in childhood, early stimulation is essential for future language and vocabulary success.

All babies are born with a brain ready to learn communication of some form. If language is not introduced at birth, the brain does not naturally pick up or learn what it has to do to communicate. Babies need to be exposed to language in the critical period of life or else their brain cannot connect correctly.

For specific examples on how parents and caregivers can provide early language enrichment, go to Baby Speech and Activities for Teaching Vocabulary.

More on Baby Language Development:

It has been found that the left side of the brain is dominant in most people for the location of language development. This is particularly the case for left handers. The right side of the brain is more responsible for musical quality (which is also important for developing verbal communication).

Research has shown that girls tend to talk a few months earlier than boys as girls tend to divide language functions more equally between left and right sides of the brain, hence linking up baby speech development a little sooner.

Language exposure to babies is best during the relatively critical time in their early life. The reason for this is simply because of the plasticity of the young nervous system. Brains learn to re sculpt according to their learning experiences more so early, than later in life.

If parents wish to be very particular about language development when their baby is born, it is known that newborns can actually perceive speech better with their right ear (a left brain function) and distinguish musical tones better with their left ear (a right brain function). You may wish to talk to them more on their right side and play soft music on their left side.

Baby language development is one of the most important forms of stimulation a baby receives. When babies hear language, it activates their hearing, social, emotional and linguistic areas of the brain all at the one time.

Babies are very capable of categorizing speech phonemes and can detect far more speech sounds than what we think. As babies begin to babble (as early as two months old) they are already striving to pronounce sounds they have encountered.

It is clear that genes can considerably shape a baby's ability to develop their language skills, however the linguistic brain is more so shaped by a child's experience with language.

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