How and Why Human Touch is Important for Kids

My New Life

Kate Garlinge

Loveverytoddler, Toddlerplay, Toddlereducation, Playtolearn, Smartbaby, Babymilestones, Toddleractivities, Loveverybaby, Babyeducation, Strongtoddler, Toddlermilestones, Toddlersubscriptionbox, Toddlertoys, Earlylearningprogram, Babydevelopment, Sustainabletoys, Learningtoys, Learningthroughplay, Strongbaby, Babysubscriptionbox, Educationaltoys, Playkits, Parenting, Babytoys, Playtime, Toddlerdevelopment, Babyactivities, Smarttoddler, Lovevery, Kids & Family, Babyplay

4.7 • 654 Ratings

🗓️ 1 July 2020

⏱️ 23 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Host Jessica Rolph welcomes Rebecca Parlakian to this episode to talk about the power of touch between infants and parents.

Few moments are more tender in those first weeks of life than when your baby reaches out and takes your finger while in your arms. It’s the all-important language of touch at work! Social connection is not the only connection at work in that moment; there are neural connections forming as your baby makes contact with that finger. In today’s episode, Jessica and Rebecca examine the importance of touch for both baby and parent.

Rebecca Parlakian is a senior director program at Zero to Three, a national nonprofit organization that focuses on the healthy development of infants, toddlers, and families. Much of her work at Zero to Three is connected to the work of Dr. Andrew Meltzoff at the University of Washington Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences.

Key Takeaways:

[1:27] Rebecca talks about Dr. Meltzoff’s research, and how physical touch helps to develop a baby’s sense of self and other.

[3:03] When do babies know that they have hands?

[3:58] How important is skin-to-skin contact between a parent and a baby?

[5:32] Rebecca discusses how parents can incorporate touch after the hospital — with infants and toddlers.

[6:12] What is Rebecca’s opinion of the research that indicates babies don't get the same benefit by being hugged by a friendly stranger as they do by a loved one?

[7:32] Is there any research that supports skin-to-skin contact after the hospital?

[9:09] What role can massage play in enhancing that bond between a parent and a child?

[11:10] The nine elements of temperament.

[12:34] Some children love to get their hands messy and other children have an aversion to touching things. What causes this range in sensory preferences?

[13:40] The characteristics of sensory-aversive and sensory-seeking children.

[15:02] Why is sensory play important for a child’s development

[16:25] Why is mouthing natural and important?

[18:03] Is sucking a thumb or finger positive for a baby’s development?

[20:01] What is the earliest memory of touch?

[21:15] Jessica shares the highlights of her conversation with Rebecca.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

ZERO TO THREE

Transcript

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0:00.0	Parenthood is a time of so much change for you and your baby.
0:12.8	A little reliable information can go a long way towards making this new life a good life.
0:18.6	I'm Jessica Rolfe, and this is my new life, a love every podcast.
0:28.7	Few moments are more tender in those first few weeks of life that when your baby reaches out
0:33.8	and takes your finger while in your arms is the all-important language of touch at work.
0:39.8	Something babies intuitively know well before they are verbal.
0:43.3	But social connection is not the only connection at work here.
0:46.6	There are neural connections forming as your baby makes contact with your finger.
0:50.7	Here to tell us more about those connections
0:52.6	and the importance of touch for both baby and
0:55.7	parent is Rebecca Parlachian. She is Senior Director Programs at Zero to Three, a national
1:02.3	nonprofit that focuses on healthy development of infants, toddlers, and families. Much of the work
1:08.1	she is doing at Zero to Three is connected to the work of Dr. Andrew Meltsoff
1:12.2	at the University of Washington Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences.
1:16.5	I asked her to explain what that research tells us about the sense of connectedness that babies
1:21.3	feel to other human beings.
1:24.1	Well, I think a lot of us underestimate how much babies are taking in, right? Because they can't talk. Their ability to communicate is limited. But in truth, what is so exciting about Dr. Meltsoff's and his team's work is that it's beginning to draw a picture for us of what truly the breadth of what
1:47.0	babies are understanding and learning in their earliest months of life. So one of the
1:53.0	takeaways from his study was that when infants are shown adults pressing their hands or feet
2:00.7	against objects and they, you know, are just watching it.
2:05.2	The parts of their brain assigned to that part of the body are kind of lighting up. It's almost like
2:12.0	the infinite sort of learning, oh, that's what that body part can do. So it becomes this really interesting process of how the baby's brain is mapped just by observing
	...

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