Dr. Xu.
Our family has a complicated language environment; we speak Mandarin as a couple, my parents speak Hakka, and my husband’s parents speak Cantonese. The baby has just been born, may I ask if this language environment has any effect on learning to speak? Should I ask the elderly to speak less of their hometown in front of the child?
Regarding the effect of a multilingual environment on a child’s language development, it is now accepted that children who grow up in a multilingual environment will have a relatively slower language development than children who grow up in a monolingual environment, especially for children under the age of 3. This delay is only relative, and in the end, normal children learn to speak.
Research has found that children process different brain areas for different languages, and when they listen to or speak several languages at once, it involves a switch between different brain areas, which in the long run facilitates the child’s mastery of multiple languages.
In general, it is better for children up to the age of 3 to be stimulated in one language; for some children with better language development, multiple language stimulation can be given appropriately at a slightly older age. However, forcing certain family members not to speak or to speak less in order to create a single language environment is clearly undesirable, as a pleasant family environment is more important for the child’s development.
In a multilingual environment, during the process of language development, a child may mix the pronunciation and vocabulary of two or more languages together, but it is not that he cannot distinguish between different languages, but rather that he uses multiple languages at the same time in order to express himself clearly due to the limited vocabulary he has. If parents feel that his pronunciation is not correct, it is generally recommended to correct it at least after the age of 3, because children are still in the high speed stage of language development before the age of 3, so there is no need to make premature conclusions.
Of course, parents should carefully observe their child’s language development to avoid a multilingual environment that masks the problem of delayed language development.
Children chew more to facilitate pronunciation
Dr. Xu.
My baby has been eating formula since she was born. She started to add supplementary food at 6 months, and now she is still eating mainly porridge. I always feel that her pronunciation is not very clear. May I ask if there is any relationship between feeding and lisp?
Shanxi Mei××
Mei Reader.
Regarding the effect of feeding method on language, current research shows that: before 6 months, breastfed children have better speech perception than hand-fed ones, but there is little difference between the two after the addition of complementary foods.
Chewing function affects the flexibility and coordination of mouth muscle movements. Therefore, adding complementary foods at the right time will promote your baby’s chewing function, which in turn will facilitate the development of his or her language skills.
Delayed addition of complementary foods, or complementary foods are monotonous and soft, the child’s mouth muscles lack the necessary exercise, may increase the chances of clear speech, and even dysarthria. Some parents spoil their children too much, always cook the food very badly or stir it up and add it to the milk for their children to eat, so the children only need to swallow and do not have the opportunity to learn to chew, they are prone to lisp.
Of course, the addition of complementary foods, especially those that require chewing, is dependent on the child’s digestive function, teething situation, etc., step by step, can not be rushed. Generally speaking, from 4 to 6 months, you can give your baby some rice paste, fruit puree, etc.; from 6 to 9 months, upgrade to porridge, minced meat, fish puree, chopped vegetables, etc.; from 9 to 12 months, soft rice, noodles, soy products, etc. are no problem.
Is more talk good?
Dr. Xu.
My child is 2.5 years old and seems to talk less than the surrounding children of the same age, is it because of poor language development?
Beijing: Gu x x
Reader Gu.
Some children talk a lot all day long, but if they often answer questions that are not answered, or even just mechanically repeat the words of others, their language development is actually not good.
As you can see, evaluating a child’s language development cannot be based on how much he or she talks, but requires the use of specialized language development assessment tools that include the child’s vocabulary, ability to understand, use, and express language, communication attitudes, manipulative items, and more.
The amount of speech is also related to neurological, psychological, and environmental factors, and children who talk less should be properly guided. The general principle is to create a relaxed and pleasant language environment, give more verbal stimulation, improve the child’s communication attitude, and encourage the child to talk more in daily life.
If, after a period of training, the child still speaks very little and is more behind than children of the same age, it is time to consult a specialist.