Can My Baby Understand Me Yet?

Congratulations - you have a newborn baby. You've probably got various books lying around - some may have been a gift, or maybe you bought them when you went on a baby shopping spree months before your due date (no judgement, we've all been there). Perhaps you got a great deal on a second-hand collection in a charity shop or online, or maybe you've just accumulated them over time throughout your pregnancy or with previous children. No matter how they ended up here, you might still be asking yourself the same thing: should I read them to my baby yet?

The truth is, it's never too early to start. Some might say 'early' is from just a few weeks old. However, in reality, language comprehension begins at birth [1]. Language comprehension is an understanding of words, their meanings in different contexts and the way they form sentences. It is the skill we need to help us to read, write and communicate verbally. Comprehension is a separate ability from word reading, which involves recognising familiar written words and working out the unfamiliar.

Image 1, A mother reading a basic book to her young baby - William Fortunato

For instance, it is very possible for people to be able to speak fluently, but to be completely unable to read or recognise printed words. [2] Different areas of the brain are used for these different skills - however certain activities we engage in with our little ones can aid them in developing both. 

Of course, while it is lovely (and definitely adorable) to have conversations made up of 'oohs' and 'aahs' with our few-month-old babies after they begin babbling, research has shown that this may not be the most beneficial communication long-term. Language comprehension will only develop when we talk with our babies. We could tell them about the world around us, narrate our actions and describe the things we see. We could sing them songs or nursery rhymes, read a fictional fairy tale or even recite an encyclopaedia. Every single one of these simple, effortless activities will kick-start our baby's understanding of language, long long before they ever learn to talk themselves[3].

By talking and reading to our baby, we are enriching their vocabulary, familiarising them not only with the sounds of different words, but their meanings. Even in 'non-verbal' children, there is an appreciation of the meaning behind our speech - so keep talking, singing and reading, as it will massively support other areas of communication, including reading, writing and even sign language.

The benefits of interacting with our baby through words is not only for when they have entered the outside world. Numerous studies have found that the foetal auditory system is developing enough between 18 and 23 weeks of pregnancy, to hear voices and sounds from inside the mother's womb[4]. Reading and talking to an unborn baby helps them to recognise voices when they are finally born - one of the many reasons the sound of a mother's voice is so comforting to a new born.

All in all, the answer to the earlier question is, for the most part, yes. Although your baby cannot instantly understand everything you say, from the moment they are born they will understand something; at first, simply that their mother's voice is a sign of safety. Soon after, their rapidly growing brains begin to comprehend different tones and voices and within less than a year, they will understand the meaning of many words and phrases. Keep talking to your baby, and read when you can. Both can be wonderful bonding experiences and with every word, you are supporting development in those remarkable little brains.

References

[1]  Early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) 

[2]  Dyslexia and the Brain: What Does Current Research Tell Us? | LD OnLine 

[3]  Reading to your child: what’s the fuss about? | NCT 

[4]  Development of fetal hearing - PMC (nih.gov)