Child Development News & Research for Parents

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Child Develoopment

New light shed on how children learn to speak Researchers have discovered that children under the age of two control speech using a different strategy than previously thought.
Language may be dominant social marker for young children Children's reasoning about language and race can take unexpected turns, according to researchers, who found that for younger white children in particular, language can loom larger than race in defining a person's identity.
Quality of mother-toddler relationship linked to teen obesity The quality of the emotional relationship between a mother and her young child could affect the potential for that child to be obese during adolescence, a new study suggests. Researchers analyzed national data detailing relationship characteristics between mothers and their children during their toddler years. The lower the quality of the relationship in terms of the child's emotional security and the mother's sensitivity, the higher the risk that a child would be obese at age 15 years, according to the analysis.
Babies lip-read, may offer autism clues For years, the conventional wisdom was that babies learned how to talk by listening to their parents. But a new study shows they're using their eyes, too, and are actually pretty good lip readers. The finding could lead to earlier diagnosis and intervention for autism.
Joking, pretending with toddlers gives them head start in life skills Parents who joke and pretend with their toddlers are giving their children a head start in terms of life skills. Most parents are naturals at playing the fool with their kids, says a new research project. However parents who feel they may need a little help in doing this can learn to develop these life skills with their tots.
Psychologists discover oxytocin receptor gene's link to optimism, self-esteem Life scientists have identified for the first time a particular gene's link to optimism, self-esteem and "mastery," the belief that one has control over one's own life -- three critical psychological resources for coping well with stress and depression.
Autism, intellectual disabilities related to parental age, education and ethnicity, not income, Utah study finds New research from Utah shows that the presence or absence of intellectual disability (ID) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) varies with risk factors such as gender, parental age, maternal ethnicity, and maternal level of education. The study also shows that household income level has no association with either ID or ASD, in contrast to what other studies have suggested.
Facial expressions develop before birth, researchers show Babies in the womb develop a range of facial movements in such a way that it is possible to identify facial expressions such as laughter and crying. For the first time, a group of researchers was able to show that recognizable facial expressions develop before birth and that, as the pregnancy progresses from 24 to 36 weeks gestation, fetal facial movements become more complex.
Watching the world in motion, babies take a first step toward language Watching children on the playground, we see them run, climb, slide, get up, and do it all again. While their movements are continuous, we language-users can easily divide them up and name each one. But what about people -- babies -- who don't yet have words? How do they make sense of a world in motion?
Enriched infant formulas benefit brain and heart, researchers find Scientists have found new evidence that infant formulas fortified with long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) are good for developing brains and hearts.