The Power of Language Nutrition for Children’s Brain Development, Health, and Future Academic Achievement

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Publication year

2017

study description

Review.

core topic(s)

Early Literacy , Pediatric Primary Care

Population Characteristics

Infant/Newborn , Medical Providers , Toddler/Preschool

Exposures, Outcomes, Other

Brain/Neurocognitive , Child Development (general) , Clinic-Based Programs and Interventions , Language and Literacy Development , Parent-Child Relationships/Interactions , Programs and Interventions (other) , School Readiness and Educational Outcomes , Talk with Me Baby

objectives

The purpose of this article is to review key components of language-rich interactions and examine existing or previously developed interventions that focus on improving the language and literacy skills of 0- to 3-year-old children. This two-fold purpose will lead to a discussion of how pediatric health care providers can integrate Language Nutrition coaching into their daily practice to help support families in optimizing their child's future health and educational trajectory.

exposure

Interventions that focus on improving the language and literacy skills of 0- to 3-year-olds.

outcomes evaluated

Childhood development, health, and academic achievement.

methods

PubMed and Web of Science were searched for peer-reviewed studies published between 1990 and 2015 in the English language using the key terms parent or caregiver, infant or child, intervention, talk or read, and language or literacy. Studies were selected if they discussed or evaluated parent-based interventions for improving the language or literacy of 0- to 3-year-children. A total of 57 articles met search criteria.

sample size

n=57 (articles)

measures

Measures of Language Nutrition (a term created to describe language exposure that is rich in quality and quantity and delivered in the context of social interactions): quantity of words and power of interactions.

 

Measures of Parentese: parentese (infant directed speech) and home language).

 

Interventions Evaluated: Pequeños y Valiosos (Young and Valuable), Reach Out and Read, Talk With Me Baby, Thirty Million Words Initiative.

results

Language Nutrition, a term created to describe language exposure that is rich in quality and quantity and delivered in the context of social interactions, is crucial for a child's development and is strongly associated with his/her future literacy, academic achievement, and health. However, significant differences in children's early language environments contribute to disparities in their educational and health trajectories. Interventions, including book distribution programs, coaching parents to enrich their child's language environment, and public awareness campaigns, have all been shown to positively influence a child's access to language-rich interactions. Incorporating Language Nutrition coaching and literacy promotion into pediatrics is a promising platform for building the capacity of parents to provide language exposure to their children.

conclusions

By teaching parents both how and why to treat their child as a conversational partner and by modeling such interactions, pediatric health care providers can help parents set their children on a pathway toward literacy, educational success, and health.

limitations

Not discussed.