Babies learn about flavors even before they are born. Can prenatal learning give rise to food preferences? Can it make some individuals more prone to consume alcohol?
Research suggests that babies can tell when parents are fighting, and chronic conflict may affect the brain. What can we do about it?
Stressed-out parents often wonder: Can babies sense tension and anger? Can babies sense stress in their caregivers? Experimental research confirms that stress is contagious.
Flavors in breast milk? From the food that mothers ingest? Yes, it really happens, and babies can taste the difference. Read what studies tell us about how early exposure to flavors — in breast milk and baby formula — can influence a baby’s willingness to eat solid foods.
An evidence-based guide to common potty training problems, including child anxieties, resistance, refusals to defecate, accidents, and more.
Research suggests that sensitive, responsive parenting can protect children from chronic disease and toxic stress.
What scientific studies reveal about the timing of toilet training. Safe, early training may lower the risk of bladder and bowel dysfunction.
In the last trimester, fetuses can hear music in the womb. And if they hear the same tune many times, they may learn to recognize it.
© 2021 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved A mother’s voice has special power. It can provide comfort — and improve outcomes — for babies hospitalized in the NICU. It can shape the way infants process language in the brain. And it can help children cope with pain and stress. What happens when a baby Read More »
Yes, newborns spend most of their time sleeping and eating. But babies are more than mere survival machines. At birth, they are primed and ready for social input, and our loving care has profound effects on their development. Generations ago, learning theorists tended to underestimate newborns. They assumed that young infants were empty-headed, passive lumps. Read More »
What is colic? Colicky babies cry excessively and inconsolably. Most cases improve by 4-6 months, but crying can be a sign of illness. So it’s important to consult with your doctor.
Studies report a link between TV and language development in young children. The more time kids spend watching television, the more slowly they learn to talk. What’s going on? Some people conclude that the effects of television on children are direct and negative. According to this view, television is noxious, like cigarette smoke. Cigarettes damage Read More »