Mothers are often concerned about the development of their children and try to find new ways of interacting with them. Nonverbal communication, commonly described as "body language," can convey a range of emotions and meanings to children of any language capacity. Nonverbal interactions between a mother and child begin soon after birth, in the first few moments of shared physical space. By making a concerted effort to be aware and focused, mothers can use nonverbal interaction to impart a sense of safety, acceptance and support.
Definition
Nonverbal communication forgoes the use of sounds or words to convey meaning and instead focuses on eye contact, physical contact such as hugging or patting on the head, and hand, body and facial gestures. Crying infants use sound to convey content and get attention. By comparison, children smiling after a meal to express satisfaction or reaching for toys when interested in playing are using their bodies as a means of self-expression. A mother singing nonsensical sounds to an infant is still communicating via words and sound. By contrast, a mother holding a crying infant to soothe him or drawing cartoons for a restless teen in a waiting room is using nonverbal communication.
Significance
While verbal communication may help children develop language development and recognition, children also take cues from body language, gesture and movement. According to the nonprofit Association for all Speech-Impaired Children, up to 80 percent of human interaction is nonverbal. Moreover, many people who have difficulty communicating through language also have difficulty conveying their messages through gesture and body language. So mothers may want to interact nonverbally not only to communicate, but also to spur their children to develop observational and self-expressive skills of their own.
Benefits
Mothers who use nonverbal interaction may notice when children avoid eye contact and inadvertently indicate that something is awry. Mothers may also find sign language, body gestures or pictorial devices to be a helpful way of reaching children who have limited verbal capacity. Mothers using nonverbal interaction can also help children find new ways of interacting and navigating social situations. The American Academy of Pediatrics notes that children with nonverbal learning disorders may have normal reading and language cognition, but miss social cues and struggle to communicate with their peers.
Challenges
Mothers are continuously being observed by their children, who are all too eager to mimic or emulate their behavior. Mothers who display nonverbal communication that is derogatory, sarcastic or threatening may unintentionally convey that this type of behavior is appropriate. Moreover, mothers may not be experienced with reading nonverbal communication or may struggle to communicate their own ideas accurately and efficiently. Lastly, in the event their children need to use assistive listening or communication devices, mothers may need time to familiarize themselves with the equipment.
Precautions
Language development milestones are attributed to each age group and should be considered when evaluating one's own child. For example, the Nemours Foundation notes that while children under 12 months may only string together sounds, children should develop a vocabulary of approximately 50 words by the time they turn 2. Mothers whose children don't reach such milestones may consider obtaining professional evaluation and support to determine whether their children have developmental disorders. Finally, nonverbal communication should not be overemphasized or considered a substitute for verbal language in an otherwise healthy and normal child.
Member Comments