In a world where communication is essential, it is extremely important to ensure a healthy development of speech and language from the first months of life. However, certain attitudes can harm this crucial process in a baby’s life, warns speech therapist Camilla Guarnieri.
According to the specialist, the interactions and stimuli that the baby receives in its first years of life are fundamental for its speech and language development. Therefore, it is essential that caregivers are aware of their attitudes and promote an environment conducive to learning.
Among the attitudes that deserve attention, the master and doctor in speech therapy from USP highlights the lack of verbal stimulation. “Exposure to rich language early on is crucial for baby to acquire vocabulary and develop their communication skills,” says Dr. Camilla Guarnieri. The speech therapist encourages caregivers to talk to the baby, even if he still does not understand all the words. This attitude contributes to language learning and assimilation.
Another point that deserves attention is deleterious oral habits such as sucking a pacifier, using a bottle, sucking your finger or biting your nails, which can impair the growth and development of the mouth, affecting important functions such as feeding and speech. In addition to function rehabilitation, the child may need orthodontic treatments. The speech therapist explains: “These deleterious oral habits can negatively impact speech and language, requiring intervention both in function and in oral structure”.
The use of electronic devices also requires caution on the part of caregivers. According to the expert, excessive time in front of screens can negatively impact social interaction and impair language acquisition. “It is important to limit the time of exposure to screens and promote moments of face-to-face interaction with the baby, as it is in this context that he learns to communicate and understand the subtleties of language”, warns Dr.
This is because communication develops through practice and the opportunity for expression. It is important to provide situations where the child can express himself. “If everything is given to the child before he even asks, the opportunity for communication is impaired. It is necessary to offer moments of pause and allow the child to respond, marking his turn to speak”. In addition, the lack of stimulation for the development of oral motor skills is also pointed out as a harmful attitude. Camilla explains that stimulating mouth and tongue movements through games, such as blowing soap bubbles or imitating animal sounds, helps to strengthen the muscles involved in speech and language.
In addition to speech development, other oral functions, such as sucking, chewing and proper breathing, are essential for motor and language development. It is crucial to consider the global development of these functions. “We must have a comprehensive view of orofacial functions, as speech is directly related to other motor skills.” – explains.
Finally, the professional highlights the importance of social interaction for the development of speech and language, as the environment plays a crucial role in this regard. School entry and family experiences offer valuable opportunities for language development.
It is also important to seek professional help if there are concerns about the baby’s speech and language development. “A speech therapist is qualified to assess and intervene in cases of delays or communication difficulties. The sooner the follow-up starts, the greater the chances of a full development”, emphasizes the specialist.
Active engagement, adequate verbal stimulation and limiting the use of electronic devices are essential to create an environment conducive to learning and healthy growth of the baby’s communicative skills.
About Fga. Dr. Camilla Guarnieri (CRFa 2 – 18977):
Speech therapist graduated from USP, master’s degree from the Graduate Program in Speech Therapy from USP with the dissertation defended in the line of research “Processes and Language Disorders” entitled “Stimulation Program for Children with Language Delay” and PhD from the Graduate Program -Graduation in Speech Therapy from USP/Bauru with the thesis defended in the line of research “Telehealth and Teleducation” entitled “Online course for training speech therapists in intervention in children’s language”. During her PhD, she carried out a research internship abroad at the University of South Florida (USF – USA). She has organized book, written book chapters, articles and materials for the assessment and intervention of speech and language in children. She has already been pedagogical coordinator and teacher of several courses and improvements for the training of speech therapists in working with speech and language in children. She is the clinical speech therapist responsible for the areas of speech and language at Clínica Care Materno Infantil.
In a world where communication is essential, it is extremely important to ensure a healthy development of speech and language from the first months of life. However, certain attitudes can harm this crucial process in a baby’s life, warns speech therapist Camilla Guarnieri.
According to the specialist, the interactions and stimuli that the baby receives in its first years of life are fundamental for its speech and language development. Therefore, it is essential that caregivers are aware of their attitudes and promote an environment conducive to learning.
Among the attitudes that deserve attention, the master and doctor in speech therapy from USP highlights the lack of verbal stimulation. “Exposure to rich language early on is crucial for baby to acquire vocabulary and develop their communication skills,” says Dr. Camilla Guarnieri. The speech therapist encourages caregivers to talk to the baby, even if he still does not understand all the words. This attitude contributes to language learning and assimilation.
Another point that deserves attention is deleterious oral habits such as sucking a pacifier, using a bottle, sucking your finger or biting your nails, which can impair the growth and development of the mouth, affecting important functions such as feeding and speech. In addition to function rehabilitation, the child may need orthodontic treatments. The speech therapist explains: “These deleterious oral habits can negatively impact speech and language, requiring intervention both in function and in oral structure”.
The use of electronic devices also requires caution on the part of caregivers. According to the expert, excessive time in front of screens can negatively impact social interaction and impair language acquisition. “It is important to limit the time of exposure to screens and promote moments of face-to-face interaction with the baby, as it is in this context that he learns to communicate and understand the subtleties of language”, warns Dr.
This is because communication develops through practice and the opportunity for expression. It is important to provide situations where the child can express himself. “If everything is given to the child before he even asks, the opportunity for communication is impaired. It is necessary to offer moments of pause and allow the child to respond, marking his turn to speak”. In addition, the lack of stimulation for the development of oral motor skills is also pointed out as a harmful attitude. Camilla explains that stimulating mouth and tongue movements through games, such as blowing soap bubbles or imitating animal sounds, helps to strengthen the muscles involved in speech and language.
In addition to speech development, other oral functions, such as sucking, chewing and proper breathing, are essential for motor and language development. It is crucial to consider the global development of these functions. “We must have a comprehensive view of orofacial functions, as speech is directly related to other motor skills.” – explains.
Finally, the professional highlights the importance of social interaction for the development of speech and language, as the environment plays a crucial role in this regard. School entry and family experiences offer valuable opportunities for language development.
It is also important to seek professional help if there are concerns about the baby’s speech and language development. “A speech therapist is qualified to assess and intervene in cases of delays or communication difficulties. The sooner the follow-up starts, the greater the chances of a full development”, emphasizes the specialist.
Active engagement, adequate verbal stimulation and limiting the use of electronic devices are essential to create an environment conducive to learning and healthy growth of the baby’s communicative skills.
About Fga. Dr. Camilla Guarnieri (CRFa 2 – 18977):
Speech therapist graduated from USP, master’s degree from the Graduate Program in Speech Therapy from USP with the dissertation defended in the line of research “Processes and Language Disorders” entitled “Stimulation Program for Children with Language Delay” and PhD from the Graduate Program -Graduation in Speech Therapy from USP/Bauru with the thesis defended in the line of research “Telehealth and Teleducation” entitled “Online course for training speech therapists in intervention in children’s language”. During her PhD, she carried out a research internship abroad at the University of South Florida (USF – USA). She has organized book, written book chapters, articles and materials for the assessment and intervention of speech and language in children. She has already been pedagogical coordinator and teacher of several courses and improvements for the training of speech therapists in working with speech and language in children. She is the clinical speech therapist responsible for the areas of speech and language at Clínica Care Materno Infantil.
