Baby Talk

Reported September 2005

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (Ivanhoe Broadcast News) -- Can the noise level inside your house actually make it harder for your baby to learn to talk? Researchers now say turning down the TV can actually help your child find their voice faster.

From the TV, to noises in the next room, a home can be full of distractions. But how much is too much? That's what psychologist George Hollich, Ph.D., from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., is trying to figure out. He is putting babies to the test to see if all that noise delays their ability to learn to speak.

Hollich says, "It seems to be the case that in noisy households, kids have lower vocabulary skills." As part of the test, the child watches a film of a woman talking, while a distracting man's voice competes for his attention. In the video, the woman keeps repeating the word feet.

"One of the things they can do is use what they see to hear a little bit better," Hollich says. Even with a distracting voice in the background, the child can pick out the right word.

Amanda Seidl, mother of the 10-month-old test child, practices infant-directed speech. Although her son is more interested in destroying the books than reading them, his mom knows how important it is for him to see and hear her speaking. Seidl says, "He's been babbling for a really long time."

To practice infant-directed speech, talk louder, minimize distractions and make sure your child can see your face or your hands when you talk to them. This can result in your child learning to speak sooner and have a larger vocabulary later.

Background noise in the average household, such as other children playing or watching television, can pose the same problem for children that an older adult with hearing loss encounters at a cocktail party.

Click here to Go Inside This Science or contact:

George Hollich, Psychologist
Infant Language Laboratory
Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN
(765) 494-2224
ghollich@purdue.edu



Click here to watch the video.

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