Baby Gesturing Linked to Bigger Baby Vocabulary

One of the first ways that babies communicate with the world around them is by gesturing.   New research has found that the amount of gestures a baby makes is directly linked to a baby’s future vocabulary. 

According to U.S. News & World Report, the new research not only connects gestures with an increased language development, but also suggests that the income levels and education of the parents influence how much gesturing a baby does.

The study found that babies from higher socioeconomic levels gestured more and had a larger vocabulary at age 4 and a half compared with the other children in the study. 

Researchers looked at the level of gesturing in babies at 14 months and then looked at the vocabulary level of these children at age 4 and a half.  At 14 months, children from higher income households gestured about 24 times during a 90 minute session compared to only 13 gestures from kids in lower income households during the same time frame.  Later, when the kids were evaluated again at 4 and a half, the vocabulary level of the children from higher income homes had a score of 117 for vocabulary, compared to only 93 in the lower income group.

For more on this study, see:
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2009/02/12/baby-gestures-linked-to-vocabulary-development.html

<!-- InstanceEndEditable --><!-- InstanceEndEditable -->

0
No votes yet
 

0 comments

Most recent

Sign in to leave a comment!

Today on JustMommies

PMS or Pregnancy Symptoms?

One of the most maddening things while you are trying to conceive is staying patient during the “two-week wait” (the gap of time between ovulation and when you would normally expect your menstrual period to begin).

Fetal Development Month by Month

Month 1: Your first month of pregnancy your baby will accomplish many things, first and foremost, conception, fertilization, and implantation.

How to Outsmart Your Picky Eater

One day, my youngest daughter had strep throat, and in the time-honored tradition of mothers everywhere, I hid her foul-tasting medicine in some chocolate pudding.

How to Make a Dreamcatcher

To make our dreamcatcher you will need: wood embordery hoop, leather lace, scissors, 3 to 4 feathers, beads



Article Tools

Print this article

Email this article

RSS

Bookmark and Share

From the Message Boards

Traveling Mommies

Today

I spent the morning having a lie-in; re-listing my old acoustic guitar on Ebay as it didn't sell in...

Done Having Children

Did it cause arguments for you?

When you & your SO were making the decision as to whether you were done or not, did it cause any arg...

Done Having Children

Shy Saturday

Do you consider yourself shy?? I do, very much so... it usually takes me quite a long time to open...

General Spirituality

The angel whisperer

I have just made an appointment to go and see Francesca Brown the Angel Whisperer. I have just fi...

General Spirituality

Today

I spent the morning having a lie-in; re-listing my old acoustic guitar on Ebay as it didn't sell in...

» Check out the friendliest message board for moms and moms-to-be!