Raising a Bilingual Child

If your family speaks 2 languages at home, your baby will likely learn both naturally as he or she grows and develops.

A child’s earliest years are the best time for learning more than 1 language. Research has shown that it’s much harder for adults to learn a new language than it is for children.

Are you worried that having 2 languages in your home will slow down your baby’s development? Don’t. Zero to Three, a national organization dedicated to strong, healthy starts for infants and toddlers, notes that dual-language learners hit the same language milestones—babbling, first word, understanding familiar words and reaching a 50-word vocabulary—as their monolingual peers.

Research has also shown that bilingual children have better memory, focus and flexible thinking skills than monolingual kids. So keep talking to your little one—balancing exposure to both languages!

This message is not intended to provide individual medical advice. Always seek the advice of a physician or qualified healthcare provider for any questions you have about your health or medical condition, your breastfeeding issues and your infant's health. Never disregard, avoid or delay contacting a doctor or other qualified professional because of something you have read in our emails, webpages or other electronic communications.