Being that TinyEYE is a company that specializes in speech therapy, we couldn’t help but wonder the effects of mask wearing and speech development.
Although this is a topic that deserves it’s own website not just a blog post, we came across some promising facts. During the first year of life speech and language are emerging in a major major way. A key part of learning to communicate and speech development for a child is watching the faces, mouths, and expressions of the people closest to them. Babies and young children study faces intently, so the concern about solid masks covering the face is understandable.
However, there are NO known studies that use of a face mask negatively impacts a child’s speech and language development.
Remember, babies and toddlers learn the most from their family! Families can help with speech and language development and social communication through face time at home with family members who aren’t wearing masks. So next time you are singing to your sweet child, make sure to animate your best “Adele” impression.
And remember:
“Kids are A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! Kids adjust, they adapt, and when they don’t have to wear them, they’ll adapt again! And development is obviously not linear. There’s ups and downs, even in days before face masks.”
For more information on masks and speech development, please read the following resources:
How masks could affect speech and language development in children?