Reading books to your children before their first birthday could improve their language skills, according to a recent American study.
- Toddlers whose parents read seven books to them each week showed higher language scores at nine months than those who did not.
- The gap in language scores widened considerably at 12 months.
- Giving parents daily reading instructions encouraged them to read more books each week.
Reading stories to your baby could help him improve his language skills, reveal researchers from Marshall University (USA). Their study shows that infants’ language scores improve when parents read them stories every day before their first birthday. The study builds on previous research on early language development and reinforces the importance of reading to young children.
Early reading leads to improved language as young as 9 months
“Early and consistent reading demonstrates improved language scores as early as 9 months of age. Setting minimum daily reading expectations impacted daily reading compliance early in life”write the authors of the study in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicinewhere their work was recently published.
As part of this study, parents or legal guardians of participating toddlers received 20 children’s books intended to help with early development. The first group received the books without further instructions. Families in the second group agreed to read at least one book a day. The last group enrolled when their child was 34 weeks old. They also pledged to read them a book a day and watch a video on infant brain development. All parents or guardians gave their consent to assess their child with a language test during health check-ups every two weeks.
A book a day is a good goal for new parents
Toddlers whose parents read seven books to them each week showed higher language scores at nine months compared to infants whose parents read less than seven books per week. The gap in language scores widened considerably at 12 months. Additionally, giving parents daily reading instructions encouraged them to read more books each week.
“A book a day is an easy goal for new parents to try. To see that there is a measurable improvement in speech and comprehension before the age of one year through reading is very exciting”said one of the co-authors, Adam Franks, professor of family and community health at the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine at Marshall University, in a university statement.
The authors plan to extend the results of this study to see how early reading benefits babies with special challenges, such as those whose mothers have opioid use disorder and who is in weaning period.
