Infant and Preschool Learning News

August 20, 2016

Maternal Language Shapes Infants' Cry Melodies

Babies' Spatial Reasoning Predicts Later Math

Breastfeeding Tied to Better Brain Development

Background Noise Interferes With Kids Learning

Latest Headlines

updated 11:36am EDT

Study Suggests Early Learning in Native Language Can Help English Skills

Aug. 17, 2016 — Spanish-speaking preschoolers experience significant improvements in their English skills when they have a good grasp of Spanish letters and numbers, research indicates. In another study, the ... read more

School Quality, Genetics Play Role in Child’s Reading Ability

Aug. 10, 2016 — Natural smarts can only take a child so far if they are also attending a poor school, according to new educational ... read more

Going the Distance: Babies Reach Farther With Adults Around

Aug. 10, 2016 — Eight-month-old infants are much more likely to reach towards distant toys when an adult is present than when they are by themselves, according to research. The findings suggest that 8-month-olds ... read more

'Cultural Learners' in the Cradle

Aug. 10, 2016 — Well before starting to speak, children from a very young age pay higher attention to the information received from native speakers of their language compared to the information received from ... read more

Newborns With Borderline Thyroid Function at Higher Risk of Poor Neurodevelopmental Outcomes

July 28, 2016 — Babies born with moderately high concentrations of thyroid stimulating hormone have a higher risk of poor educational and development outcomes at ... read more

Developmental Differences in Late Preterm Babies May Not Emerge Until After Age Two

July 25, 2016 — Developmental differences in babies born four to six weeks early may not show up until after they turn two, a new study suggests. At age two, late ... read more

Blue, Green or 'Nol'?

July 18, 2016 — Even in infants too young to speak, the object categories infants form and their predictions about objects' behavior, are sculpted by the names we use to describe them, new research shows. As English ... read more

Tiger Moms Are the Same Everywhere, Study Shows

July 18, 2016 — It doesn’t matter if you’re an American “tiger mom,” or a Chinese one, evidence shows that parents’ attempts to control children through psychological means (e.g., shaming children) are ... read more

Infants Prefer Toys Typed to Their Gender, Says Study

July 15, 2016 — Children as young as 9 months-old prefer to play with toys specific to their own gender, according to a new study. The research suggests the possibility that boys and girls ... read more

New Evidence Links Exclusive Breastfeeding, Early Play/stimulation to Children's Later Success

June 21, 2016 — A pair of new studies further strengthen scientific understanding of the links between what a child experiences in the first years of life and later ... read more

Medical Schools Tackle Opioid Painkiller Abuse

U.S. Baby Born to Mom With Zika Has Microcephaly

Study: Concussions In Kids Vastly Undercounted

Take Some Screen Time To Learn How Screen Time Actually Affects Kids

Kindergarteners' Mathematics Success Hinges on Preschool Skills

Aug. 4, 2016 — Researchers have discovered that preschoolers who better process words associated with numbers and understand the quantities associated with these words are more likely to have success with math when ... read more

Making Parenting a National Priority in U.S.

July 20, 2016 — A new report calls for a new national framework to support struggling parents. Developmental psychologists say the findings emphasize making parenting a national U.S. ... read more

New Study of Toddlers Sheds Light on Value of Facetime Video Chat as Meaningful Interaction

July 15, 2016 — Working parents and grandparents who FaceTime with their toddlers can take heart from a new study that sheds new light that on young children and how they engage in—and learn from—screen-time ... read more

Dads Play Key Role in Child Development

July 14, 2016 — Fathers play a surprisingly large role in their children's development, from language and cognitive growth in toddlerhood to social skills in fifth grade, according to new ... read more

Early Preschool Bedtimes Cut Risk of Obesity Later on

July 14, 2016 — Preschoolers who are regularly tucked into bed by 8 p.m. are far less likely to become obese teenagers than young children who go to sleep later in the evening, new research has found. Bedtimes after ... read more

Increase in Snacking Related to Parental Oversight

July 12, 2016 — In a new study examining how parenting contributes to snacking, researchers found that parents who have a hands-off approach to feeding children may unknowingly contribute to an increase in ... read more

Researcher Finds Link Between Parenting Styles and Workplace Behaviors

July 7, 2016 — If you’re having problems at work, there’s a chance that your parents might share some of the blame, a researcher ... read more

Does Chronic Pain Run in Families?

July 6, 2016 — Can an increased risk of chronic pain be transmitted from parents to children? Several factors may contribute, including genetics, effects on early development, social learning, and more according to ... read more

One Small Step for Babies, One Giant Leap for Humankind

July 5, 2016 — Even before they stand up, infants have a rough idea of how to walk; they just need some time to lay down the right neural wiring. Understanding how babies take their first steps can also help us to ... read more

Children Growing Up in Solo Mother Families Are Well Adjusted and Developing Well

July 4, 2016 — The number of children born to single women is increasing, partly as a result of social and legislative changes (in most jurisdictions) in the rights to parenthood. While technology has been readily ... read more

Educating Parents on Healthy Infant Sleep Habits May Help Prevent Obesity

June 29, 2016 — Teaching parents bedtime techniques to encourage healthy sleep habits in their infants may help prevent obesity, according to researchers. Strong links exist between inadequate sleep and childhood ... read more

Impulsive Children Raised in Caring Families Drink Less During Adolescence

June 22, 2016 — Years of research have shown that impulsivity in childhood is among the individual vulnerabilities leading to substance abuse, delinquency, as well as aggressive and antisocial behavior in ... read more

Harsh Parenting, Food Insecurity Predicts Obesity for Young Women

June 21, 2016 — The adolescent years can be full of changes. A new study now suggests that when these years include prolonged periods of food insecurity coupled with harsh parenting practices, females are prone to ... read more

Why Teaching Math Is Child's Play

June 14, 2016 — The natural process of teaching mathematics to one another gives kids the chance to explore and construct a deeper understanding of their social and physical worlds, a new study ... read more

Oxytocin in the Recognition of Emotions

June 14, 2016 — Studies have demonstrated that oxytocin plays a role in facilitating the perception of emotions in other people's facial expressions. An international study has tested the idea that this ... read more

Preschool Academic Skills Improve Only When Instruction Is Good to Excellent

June 7, 2016 — As the overall quality of instruction in preschool classrooms increases, children experience better outcomes across a range of skills, but the needle only moves on language and reading skills when ... read more

Babies Don't Just Look Cute, Scientists Find

June 6, 2016 — What is it about the sight of an infant that makes almost everyone crack a smile? Big eyes, chubby cheeks, and a button nose? An infectious laugh, soft skin, and a captivating smell? While we have ... read more

Late-Term Birth Associated With Better School-Based Cognitive Functioning

June 6, 2016 — Better measures of school-based cognitive function were associated with late-term infants born at 41 weeks but those children performed worse on a measure of physical functioning compared with ... read more

'Baby Talk' Can Help Songbirds Learn Their Tunes

May 31, 2016 — Adult songbirds modify their vocalizations when singing to juveniles in the same way that humans alter their speech when talking to babies. The resulting brain activity in young birds could shed ... read more

Baby Talk Words With Repeated Sounds Help Infants Learn Language

May 27, 2016 — Babies find it easier to learn words with repetitive syllables rather than mixed sounds, a study suggests. Assessments of language learning in 18-month-olds suggest that children are better at ... read more

Thursday, August 4, 2016