The Effect of Older Siblings on Language Development as a Function of Age Difference and Sex

The number of older siblings a child has is negatively correlated with the child’s verbal skills, perhaps because of competition for parents’ attention. In the current study, we examined the role of siblings’ sex and age gap as moderating factors, reasoning that they affect older siblings’ tendency to compensate for reduced parental attention. We hypothesized that children with an older sister have better language abilities than children with an older brother, especially when there is a large age gap between the two siblings. We reanalyzed data from the EDEN cohort ( N = 1,154) and found that children with an older sister had better language skills than those with an older brother. Contrary to predictions, results showed that the age gap between siblings was not associated with language skills and did not interact with sex. Results suggest that the negative effect of older siblings on language development may be entirely due to the role of older brothers. Our findings invite further research on the mechanisms involved in this effect.

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The effect of siblings on language development as a function of age difference and sex

10.31234/osf.io/fgpmd ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Naomi Havron ◽

Franck Ramus ◽

Barbara Heude ◽

Anne Forhan ◽

Alejandrina Cristia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Language Development ◽

Language Skills ◽

Age Difference ◽

Language Abilities ◽

Verbal Skills ◽

Moderating Factors ◽

Age Gap ◽

Older Brothers ◽

Negative Effect ◽

Older Siblings

The number of older siblings a child has is negatively correlated with their verbal skills, perhaps due to competition for parents’ attention. The current study examined the role of siblings’ sex and age gap as moderating factors, reasoning that they affect older siblings’ tendency to compensate for reduced parental attention. We hypothesized that children with an older sister, especially with a large age gap, have better language abilities than those with older brothers. We reanalyzed data from the EDEN cohort (N = 1,154) and found that children with an older sister had better language skills than those with an older brother. Contrary to predictions, the age gap between siblings was not associated with language skills, and did not interact with sex. Results suggest the negative effect of older siblings on language development may be entirely due to older brothers, and invite further research on the mechanisms involved in this effect.

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The Effect of Older Sibling, Postnatal Maternal Stress, and Household Factors on Language Development in Two- to Four-Year-Old Children

10.31234/osf.io/m9w48 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Naomi Havron ◽

Irena Lovcevic ◽

Michelle Z.L Kee ◽

Helen Chen ◽

Yap Seng Chong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Language Development ◽

Family Structure ◽

Maternal Stress ◽

Household Size ◽

Language Outcomes ◽

Age Gap ◽

Negative Effect ◽

Older Siblings ◽

Older Sibling

Previous literature has shown that family structure affects language development. Here, factors relating to older siblings (their presence in the house, sex and age gap), mothers (maternal stress) and household size and residential crowding were examined to systematically examine the different role of these factors. Data from mother-child dyads in a Singaporean birth cohort, (677-855 dyads; 52% males; 58-61% Chinese, 20-24% Malay, 17-19% Indian) collected when children were 24-, 48-, and 54-months old, were analysed. There was a negative effect of having an older sibling, moderated by the siblings’ age gap, but not by the older sibling’s sex, nor household size or residential crowding. Maternal stress affected language outcomes in some analyses but not others. Implications for understanding the effect of family structure on language development are discussed.

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The Effect of Older Sibling, Postnatal Maternal Stress, and Household Factors on Language Development in Two- to Four-Year-Old Children

10.31234/osf.io/pb7qv ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Naomi Havron ◽

Irena Lovcevic ◽

Michelle Z.L Kee ◽

Helen Chen ◽

Yap Seng Chong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Language Development ◽

Family Structure ◽

Maternal Stress ◽

Household Size ◽

Language Outcomes ◽

Age Gap ◽

Negative Effect ◽

Older Siblings ◽

Older Sibling

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Phonetic, Phonological, and Language Skills of Children with a Cleft Palate

The Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal ◽

10.1597/1545-1569_2003_040_0460_ppalso_2.0.co_2 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 40 (5) ◽

pp. 460-470 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Helen Morris ◽

Anne Ozanne

Keyword(s):

Language Development ◽

Cleft Palate ◽

Language Proficiency ◽

Language Skills ◽

Expressive Language ◽

Speech Development ◽

Group Differences ◽

Language Abilities ◽

Significant Group ◽

Language Measures

Objective To evaluate the language, phonetic, and phonological skills at age 3 years of two groups of young children with a cleft palate, with different expressive language proficiency at 2 years of age. Design Two groups of children with a cleft palate with differing abilities in early expressive language skills were identified at age 2 years. Comparisons across groups were made over a range of speech and language measures at age 3 years. Participants Twenty children with cleft palate were allocated to two groups dependent on expressive language abilities at age 2 years. One group had normal language development, and the second group had been identified as having significantly delayed (8 to 12 months’ delay) expressive language development. Main Outcome Measures The children were assessed at 3 years of age using standardized assessments and spontaneous speech samples. Comparisons between the two groups were made on a range of language measures including comprehension, expressive language, and speech. Results Group differences were found on both language and speech abilities at age 3 years. Significant group differences were found in expressive language, percentage of consonants correct, phonetic inventory, and phonological process usage. The group with delayed early expressive language abilities at 2 years continued to have expressive language difficulties at 3 years of age and had more disordered speech development, compared with the nondelayed group. Conclusions A subgroup of children with a cleft palate was identified who exhibited delays in early expressive language and continued to have delayed language and disordered phonological patterns at a later age. Support for three possible etiologies including a structural/anatomical deficit, cognitive/linguistic delay, or language/phonological disorder are discussed.

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Building Language Competence With Students Using AAC Devices: Six Challenges

Perspectives on Augmentative and Alternative Communication ◽

10.1044/aac18.2.38 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 18 (2) ◽

pp. 38-47 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Gail M. Van Tatenhove

Keyword(s):

Language Development ◽

Communication Skills ◽

Development Process ◽

Language Skills ◽

American Education ◽

Language Competence ◽

Language Therapist ◽

School Subjects ◽

School Day

Abstract There is an adage used by teachers in the American education system that says, “You learn to communicate before you communicate to learn.” This saying reminds us that communication skills are the foundation for learning and that naturally developing children are generally competent communicators before they enter school. They use their foundational language skills to be successful in the classroom. This adage is not typically true for students using AAC systems. These students often enter school without competent communication skills and must work on these skills, while also trying to master school subjects. The reader is challenged to assess his or her role in the language development process of children using AAC systems. Speech-language pathologists will be encouraged to go beyond the role of programming AAC devices and return to the role of “language therapist.” Educators, who spend the majority of the school day with the student, are reminded that they hold the keys to augmentative communication success in schools. Their role is critical in supporting and applying language skills in the classroom.

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The Role of Storytelling Methods Using Hand Puppets in Early Children’s Language Development

Child Education Journal ◽

10.33086/cej.v3i2.2129 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 3 (2) ◽

pp. 78-91

Author(s):

Nurul Mujahidah ◽

Eka Damayanti ◽

Ahmad Afiif

Keyword(s):

Early Childhood ◽

Language Development ◽

Early Literacy ◽

Oral Language ◽

Language Skills ◽

Secondary Data ◽

Receptive Language ◽

New Findings ◽

Data Collection Technique

Using hand puppets in a storytelling activity (which can resemble human or animal forms) as a learning medium has many beneficial. This study aims to determine the role of the hand puppet storytelling method in early childhood language development. This research uses a library research type, Systematic Literature Review (SLR), namely the study of various scientific studies relevant to research to obtain inferences in the form of new findings that can later be replicated. The data source used is secondary data, which has been previously published in the form of books, journals, and previous studies. The data collection technique in this research is documentation. The data analysis technique uses content analysis, a research technique for making inferences that can be replicated. The results showed that storytelling using hand puppet media played a role in developing children’s language. The role of the storytelling method using hand puppet media in early childhood language development, namely (1) encouraging children to be more skilled at speaking; (2) make children more interested and more active in listening; (3) increasing children’s self-confidence; (4) improve children’s listening skills; (5) developing receptive language skills of children; (6) developing children’s early literacy; (7) enabling children to retell stories that they’ve been heard; (8) add word recognition and vocabulary to children’s language; and (9) developing children’s oral language skills. This research has implications for learning, especially for teachers to use various media and appropriate learning methods according to the child’s learning type. Children become interested and more enthusiastic in participating in the learning process.

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Lexical Learning and Language Abilities in Preschoolers with Perinatal Brain Damage

Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders ◽

10.1044/jshd.5403.395 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 54 (3) ◽

pp. 395-402 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Kristen A. Keefe ◽

Heidi M. Feldman ◽

Audrey L. Holland

Keyword(s):

Language Development ◽

Brain Damage ◽

Language Skills ◽

Phonological Development ◽

Language Abilities ◽

Lexical Development ◽

Left Brain ◽

Linguistic System ◽

Brain Injured ◽

Language Measures

Studies of children with early-acquired brain damage have noted limitations on language development following such damage and have raised questions regarding the process by which these children acquire language skills. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of perinatally acquired brain damage on early language abilities and on lexical development through the use of standard assessments, language samples, and a miniature linguistic system approach to teach a novel lexicon. Four children, ages 26–41 months, with localized, perinatal brain lesions documented on ultrasound or CT scan were selected for this study and were compared to 4 matched controls. The results show no differences in the pattern of scores and learning in children with right and left brain damage. With the exception of phonological development, subjects scored below controls on all formal language measures; however, the subjects often scored at or above test norms. Brain-injured subjects were similar to controls with respect to the number of novel words that they initially learned on comprehension and production tasks and the number that they consistently comprehended. Brain-injured subjects generally acquired fewer words when the criterion was consistent accurate production. Interestingly, subjects required more exposures to novel lexical items than did controls before reaching a given level of proficiency. Production seemed to be more difficult for all children, but more so for the brain-injured subjects. It appears that the effects of early damage have an impact on many aspects of language development and that these apparent deficits may reflect the child's need for greater exposure to language skills and structures before acquiring them.

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The Role of Children in Building Parents’ Social Networks

Social Economics ◽

10.7551/mitpress/9780262035651.003.0013 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Odelia Heizler ◽

Ayal Kimhi

Keyword(s):

Social Networks ◽

Number Of Children ◽

Age Gap ◽

First Child ◽

Negative Effect ◽

Males And Females ◽

Parents Involvement ◽

Demographic Attributes ◽

Positive Effect

This paper analyzes the effect of children on the parent's social networks using Israeli Social Survey data for 2002-2006. Additional demographic attributes of the household, such as the age gap between the oldest and youngest child and the age of the youngest child are also examined. We found that the first child decreases social networking of both males and females. The number of children has a U-shaped effect on parents' involvement in social networks, with substantial differences between fathers and mothers. The negative effect is dominant on the mothers’ involvement in social networks, while the positive effect is dominant on the father's involvement in social networks. The age gap between children has a positive effect on both parents’ involvement in social networks, while the age of the youngest child has a positive effect only on the father's involvement in social networks.

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3. Learning language

10.1093/actrade/9780199646593.003.0004 ◽

2014 ◽

Author(s):

Usha Goswami

Keyword(s):

Language Development ◽

Language Learning ◽

Language Skills ◽

Growth Spurt ◽

Learning Language ◽

Learning Growth

‘Learning language’ considers how babies and toddlers develop language skills by looking at the role of Parentese, otherwise known as infant-directed speech, the importance of sound cues, and the role of gestures. Babies’ brains seem to be primed to pick up language with immense speed. Why do babies appear to have a language learning growth ‘spurt’ at 18 months? How can we explain similiarities of language development across cultures? One reason that babies learn words with apparent ease is that they have conceptual expectations about what people are using certain words for.

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The Role of the SLP in Autism Spectrum Disorder Screening and Assessment

Perspectives on Language Learning and Education ◽

10.1044/lle15.2.50 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 15 (2) ◽

pp. 50-59 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Amy Philofsky

Keyword(s):

Language Development ◽

Critical Role ◽

Children With Autism ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Children With Asd ◽

Prevalence Estimates ◽

Notable Increase ◽

Screening Assessment ◽

Critical Components

AbstractRecent prevalence estimates for autism have been alarming as a function of the notable increase. Speech-language pathologists play a critical role in screening, assessment and intervention for children with autism. This article reviews signs that may be indicative of autism at different stages of language development, and discusses the importance of several psychometric properties—sensitivity and specificity—in utilizing screening measures for children with autism. Critical components of assessment for children with autism are reviewed. This article concludes with examples of intervention targets for children with ASD at various levels of language development.

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