Distance: Infant and Child Essays

Submitted By heylolneedwork
Words: 1150
Pages: 5
Open Document
1. Build Relationships—Be an Empathic Language Partner
When a person cares about another person, he or she usually wants to communicate with that person. An infant or toddler will want to communicate with you when she feels safe and cared for in loving ways. Infants and toddlers communicate when it is pleasant to communicate, when the affect or feeling of the communication is warm and loving, and when they understand that their communication attempts will get a response.
2. Respond and Take Turns—Be an Interactive Language Partner
Through your interactions with the infant or toddler you are helping the child learn to use language to communicate. When a toddler asks for a drink and a parent or teacher responds, then the toddler learns that communication is an effective way to get his needs met. When an infant makes sounds or a toddler uses words, respond and then wait for the child to take a turn with sounds, words, or sentences. This conversational dance with each partner taking a turn helps the child learn the pragmatics of conversation—that people take turns exchanging ideas in a social context. These adult-child conversations build young children’s vocabulary as well as their ability to take language turns—a skill that helps them become a conversational partner and a capable communicator. Try not to dominate the conversation with a baby (Girolametto, 2000) by taking more turns than the baby or bombarding the child with language. Instead, focus on reciprocal and responsive interactions with equal give-and-take conversations.
3. Respond to Nonverbal Communication
Can babies that can’t talk try to tell you something? Yes, they can. A yawn can mean the baby is tired or bored, snuggling in to an adult’s body tells you that the baby feels safe and relaxed, a toddler running to you tells you she wants to connect with you, and kicking feet say “I’m uncomfortable.” When babies turn away, they may be communicating that they need a break from the interaction. When infants or toddlers use a strong communication cue, such as arching their back, it means “that hurts,” or “stop what you are doing.” When adults understand and respond to infants’ and toddlers’ nonverbal communication they let children know that they are communication partners. With responsive adults, infants and toddlers are soon using sounds and words, while still maintaining many nonverbal ways to communicate.
4. Use Self-Talk and Parallel Talk
Self-talk is talk that adults use to describe what they are doing while with the infant or toddler. For example, a teacher who is diapering a baby might say, “I’m getting your diaper. Now I’m lifting your feet. I’m putting the diaper on. All done.” Parallel talk occurs when an adult talks about what a child is doing. For example, while the child is playing or eating the adult might say, “Mmm, you’re eating your toast” while pointing to the toast. These strategies tie language to an act or object manipulation, making words come alive and have meaning for the child.
5. Talk Often with the Child, Using a Rich and Varied Vocabulary
Does it matter how much you talk with an infant or toddler, sing, and look at picture books together? Research shows that the number and quality of the conversations that adults have with infants and toddlers directly affects how they learn to talk (Hart & Risley, 1999; Honig & Brophy, 1996; Shonkoff & Phillips, 2000). The number of total words and different words that the parent uses with the child daily, the number of conversations, and the positive affirmations from the parent are all related to infants’ and toddlers’ language development (Hart & Risley, 1999).

Researchers have found astounding differences in how much parents talk with their children. Some infants and toddlers hear an average of 600 words an hour while others hear as many as 2100 words an hour. Some children hear 100 different words an hour while others hear 500 different words an hour. These differences in
Show More

Related Documents: Distance: Infant and Child Essays

pre hospital care of a child or infant Essay

Pre-Hospital Care of Infants and Children There is a disturbing discrepancy in the pre hospital care of a child or infant and the pre hospital care of an adult. Infants and children account for about 10% of ambulance calls and most of these calls do not require extensive treatment by the EMS crew (Grabinsky, Ramaiah, & Seid, 2012, p. 116). Many calls are routine calls involving minor trauma or childhood illnesses. These types of calls do not inspire the urgency that calls like cardiac…

Words 666 - Pages 3

Intensive Care Medicine and Parents Essay

in the United States each year (March of Dimes. 2009). Infants born prematurely often require a lengthy stay in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for weeks or even months. This hospitalization of a child is a stressful experience for the parents (Peebles-Klelger. 2000). Further, a number of investigators have reported that the hospitalization of a newborn infant in the (NICU) is traumatic for the parents with separation from the infant being particularly difficult (McGrath. 2001: Griffin, et…

Words 1148 - Pages 5

New Born Babies Research Paper

Seven Wonderful Facts About The Newborn Babies Pregnancy is an unforgettable moment in women’s lifetime, but at the end of the result that is even further an incredible. The child is the most precious gift for mother and the baby is one of the most wonderful creations. The newborn baby downy head and tiny hands requested to be a kissed. The newborn baby can create bundles of enjoyment for parents, especially for the newborn baby mother. Every small activity of newborn baby makes the happiest moment…

Words 429 - Pages 2

2013 03 19 Individual Paper Chapter 5 Revised

allows a young human being to start interpreting and understanding sensory input. (Bee 116) For instance, as infant grows, they begin to be able to support their heads so that their eyes can scan their environment. In order to understand the perceptual development, there are two arguments that are made which are Empiricism and Nativism (Bee 117). According to empiricist beliefs, the naive child does not share the same perceptual world of an experienced adult. Empiricism is inherently development because…

Words 1001 - Pages 5

Mrs J Dhillon Essay

Jasbir Dhillon Study Day 19 Unit 10 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 Transitions Each age of a child has its own challenges. Many of these revolve around transitions, such as when your baby weans from the breast to bottle or from a crib to a bed and so on. Some of the common transitions children experience between the ages from 0-19 is: 3months – Moving your baby ta a crib from a bassinet 3-15 months _ Getting a first baby tooth 4-5 months _ Sleeping through the night…

Words 582 - Pages 3

The First Two Years of Life Essay

Piaget’s theory was called cognitive development or the sensorimotor stage. This is when the child interacts with his surroundings through physical action such as pushing, sucking, grabbing, etc. Freud’s theory of development is psychosexual. He proposed three stages in psychosexual development: oral, anal, phallic. Erikson’s theory is psychosocial. From birth until about one and a…

Words 1439 - Pages 6

Baby Info Essay

months of age. Between nine and 10 months, the infant is able to pull himself to standing and takes his first steps. By the age of eight to 24 months, the baby can perform a variety of tasks such as opening a small boxhh making marks with a pencil, and correctly inserting squares and circles in a formboard. He is able to seat himself in small chair, he can point at objects of interest, and can feed himself with a spoon. Second year. At 24-36 months, the child can turn the pages of a book, scribble with…

Words 574 - Pages 3

Essay on abraham lincoln

family of polyvinyl-chloride plastic softeners called phthalates.” Phthalates are not integral to the chemical structure of plastic, but are additives, making hard plastic pliable and soft. Scientists say that Phthalates are causing new born male infants to be exposed to this chemical which basically slows down their reproductive system and damages it as well. Now banning this ingredient in toys would be the best thing to do but toy companies say it’s been tested and safe. Phthalates are dangerous…

Words 1110 - Pages 5

Unit 8 Essay example

and words your child uses and have talk to your baby often. Making eye contact and changing your tone of voice will help your baby know what you are saying. Even though they can't talk back, your baby is taking in all that you say and do. Read, sing, and tell stories. These are fun ways to help your child understand the meaning of new words and ideas. Encourage your child to explore toys in different ways by touching, banging, stacking, shaking. Use words to help your child understand his…

Words 1795 - Pages 8

Anthony Storr's Solitude: A Return To The Self

A solitude is not loneliness. It is a positive state of being alone, but not lonely. Many people get confused with the words solitude and loneliness, and thought of them as the same meaning. Loneliness is a negative state, the desire for human contact and social interaction. Solitude requires a person engage in own thoughts, feelings, and experiences. It’s a quiet place, away from other people, where we can reflect our daily life or experiences. You can find solitude in a lot of places. I like to…

Words 1807 - Pages 8