By: Carly Adames
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, masks have become the new normal. For young children enrolled in early care and education programs, most of their waking hours are spent with an adult whose face is covered with a mask. Infants born in 2020 or 2019 who attend childcare programs have spent the majority of their lives around masked adults. How might this impact young children’s development?
Although we don’t have research from a recent pandemic to refer to, research shows that young children learn to speak by not only listening and imitating sounds they hear, but by mimicking the mouths of adults. Research also shows that while learning and comprehending language, infants and young children attentively observe the mouths of others as they speak. Dr. David Lewkowicz, an adjunct professor at the Yale Child Study Center and senior scientist at Haskins Laboratory, recently published an article in the Scientific American entitled, “Masks Can Be Detrimental to Babies’ Speech and Language Development.” In the article, he outlined the complex challenges for babies as a result of frequently being around masked adults. His research shows that babies begin to employ attention to the lips of speakers at 4 months of age, and begin to lip-read at 8 months of age. “Faces are a complex and rich source of social, emotional and linguistic signals,” he states. “Overall, the research to date demonstrates that the visible articulations that babies normally see when others are talking play a key role in their acquisition of communication skills. Research also shows that babies who lip-read more have better language skills when they’re older. If so, this suggests that masks probably hinder babies’ acquisition of speech and language.” In summary, it is not only essential for infants to hear spoken language when learning to talk but also to be able to observe and lip-read the mouths of the speaker.
During the first five years of life, 85% of a child’s brain is developed. The first three years are the most intensive period for speech and language acquisition. Thus, it is essential to provide the optimal environment for children to support many aspects of their development. However, due to the current situation, masks are essential in stopping the spread of COVID-19. Clear masks exist, and scientists specializing in speech and language research have recommended early childhood teachers wear them while caring for and educating young children. Clear masks are, however, rather expensive, and the early childhood industry has faced a financial crisis during the pandemic. According to a survey conducted by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) in December 2020, 56% of early childhood providers reported losing money by staying open, 42% reported taking on debt by using personal credit cards to pay for supplies and other items, 91% are paying extra for cleaning supplies, and 73% have taken on extra expenses for ppe. Even though clear masks are ideal, many early childhood centers are unable to support such costs.
How can parents support young children’s brain, socioemotional, speech, and language development – especially those who are with masked caregivers and teachers all day? During time at home when infants and young children are around family members not wearing masks, it is all the more crucial to frequently talk to your child and to look at them while speaking. Allow babies and toddlers to see your lips as you speak to them. Reading, singing, and talking to children is an essential part of healthy speech and language development. It may appear that they are just watching you, but the amount of learning and development taking place in the brain at every moment during this key window of life is astronomical.
