Search Results for: blog speech how much does your baby understand

How to Know When You Should Have Another Baby

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Once you have a child, it can be so hard to know if you should have another one. You are often afraid you won’t love the second as much as the first. But, then you have number two, and realize that your love is not divided. It just grows. But, when you are ready to have number 3, maybe the more likely question is, “Can I handle it?” Three seems like a crowd. Seriously. I have two kids. A boy and a girl. In some ways, it takes the pressure off of having a third. I got one of each, … Continue reading →

Words Only A Mother Could Understand

I used to think moms were just pretending to understand their babbling toddlers. Even though the order and repetition of their gibberish made it sound like they were attempting real words, I couldn’t figure out what they were saying. Ironically enough, now that my own son is learning to talk, I almost always understand what he is saying. To me, his words are clear, and I didn’t realize until recently that other people cannot understand what he is saying most of the time. They are probably thinking I am just pretending to understand him! The difference is context. It really … Continue reading →

Speech: How Much Does Your Baby Understand?

Do you ever wonder if your baby can understand what you are saying and how much? The thing I have noticed the most about my son’s development is his increasing understanding of what I say to him. I am always excited when he obeys a new command because I know he is learning a lot of new words! I have noticed, though, that obedience is definitely not a good indication of whether they understand the actual words. Often, they understand the words by themselves first, it’s the call to action they do not perceive. A good example of this is … Continue reading →

Children Who Can’t Trust

When an infant has a need (such as the need for nourishment) which is not met, there is a big emotional response. That’s because the stakes are so great. If the child isn’t nourished, he will die. So he makes his needs known rather dramatically, crying and thrashing about. If this emotional response eventually brings him the sustenance he needs, he begins learning to trust. He discovers that when he is vulnerable, someone in his life will respond lovingly. As the child grows and develops, trust continues to build as the cycle repeats over and over again. For example, the … Continue reading →

Language and Learning in Adopted Children

Some parents who thought their children were doing very well with speech and language may find themselves unpleasantly surprised as their children begin second grade, when a higher level of language is required. Teachers have often noted poor academic performance among immigrant children graduating from English as a Second Language programs, even though the children appear to converse in English perfectly well. Educators and speech-language clinicians are learning that there are two kinds of language. Many refer to the first type as Communicative Language Fluency. This is the type of language we think of when we say a child can … Continue reading →

How To … Meditate

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I’ve talked about meditation here before – but I wanted to discuss more about how to meditate and why I meditate. When I was in junior high, I participated in the drama club and the speech club. We had a great teacher, her name was Mrs. Garza. She was a brilliant woman and she was excellent at coaching us through speeches, dramatic presentations and learning impromptu. One of the things she also taught was guided meditation – in part it was to help cope with stage fright and anxiety. To understand, first of all, the meditations she used were not … Continue reading →

Meet RITA Award-Winning Author Linnea Sinclair and Her Cover Model Cat Daq

In 2006, Linnea Sinclair’s book Gabriel’s Ghost won the Romance Writers of America’s RITA award for Best Paranormal Romance. Her next book, Games of Command, is set to be released on February 27, 2007. But this book is a little different than some of her others, because her cat Daq was not only the inspiration for one of the characters, he’s also on the cover! As he said when I contacted his mom about an interview: “I know you are speechless at how handsome I am. Everyone reacts the same way. Don’t worry. You’re also speechless at how small my … Continue reading →

Our Experience with Research Studies

Some time ago, Krystin wrote a blog about research studies and asked others to share their own experiences. I’ve had children in two studies, at two different departments of a major university. The first study involved me and my 11-month-old birth son. The study was on breastfeeding while taking a certain type of medication. It involved one visit. My blood was drawn and the level of medication in my blood measured, and the level of medication in my pumped milk was measured. Then I nursed my baby, who was weighed before and after feeding on scales precise enough to determine … Continue reading →

“His Life Is Definitely Not a Struggle.” A Mother of a Child with Down Syndrome Shares Her Story

The following is an interview I had with Valle Dwight. Valle was a reader who sent me a private message correcting my terminology in a previous blog about mental retardation. I agreed with her concerns and removed my blog. Valle was so insightful and positive that I wanted to give her the opportunity to share her story. I continue to be impressed by her and am sure you will enjoy reading this interview. 1. Tell us a little about your family. “My husband and I have been married for 16 years. We have two boys, 13 and 10. Our youngest … Continue reading →

Baby Sign Language: Good or Bad?

Do you sign with your baby? Popular books like BabyWise by Ezzo tout signing with your baby as the answer to teaching your baby manners. At around five months, you’re supposed to start teaching your baby signs for thirsty, hungry, please and thank you. Other proponents note that babies definitely are able to think more than they can communicate. Teaching sign makes communicating basic needs much less frustrating. (Have you ever had your child repeatedly say a completely unintelligible word to their utter frustration because you can’t understand?) If only all babies signed, we could see what’s inside their heads … Continue reading →