Stanford Study Links Mother’s Voice to Language Development in Premature Infants

Research conducted at Stanford University has revealed that the sound of a mother’s voice can significantly aid in the language processing development of premature infants. A recent clinical trial at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital focused on how maternal voice exposure may replicate the auditory experiences typically encountered by infants in the final months of gestation.

Kristine Atom, a mother of two premature infants, shared her experience with her son Kieran, who spent ten weeks in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). During this critical period, Atom read to Kieran, believing that her voice could foster his cognitive growth. “This is our second premature baby and was in the NICU for, I think, basically up until his due date,” she stated.

The research team, led by Dr. Melissa Scala, recorded mothers reading from the beloved children’s book, Paddington Bear. The goal was to expose these premature infants to their mother’s voice for several hours each night. Dr. Scala noted, “We know that babies can hear from about 24 weeks of gestation, so it’s interesting that this predates when the baby is actually born.” This early exposure may help bridge the gap for infants who miss out on auditory stimulation in utero.

Dr. Scala’s previous studies indicated that full-term infants show a preference for their mother’s voice over other female voices. This phenomenon suggested a deep-rooted connection between maternal voice and neural development. To investigate this further, the research team employed MRI scans to assess brain activity in the infants who received maternal voice exposure compared to a control group. The findings revealed increased neural development in areas associated with language processing.

“And we were amazed to see the strength of the effect that we got,” Dr. Scala remarked. The results are promising, and the team aims to conduct further studies with larger groups, including infants with more significant health challenges.

While Atom and Kieran did not participate in this study, they resonate with its findings. Atom emphasized the importance of maternal voice for the emotional well-being of both babies and their families. “Yes, I think it’s super important to provide that, both because of the stress of the whole family under as well as a benefit for the babies and the family as a whole,” she stated.

The implications of this research highlight not only the profound connection between mothers and their premature infants but also suggest a valuable resource that could benefit families navigating the challenges of premature birth. As the study progresses, it may pave the way for new supportive practices in neonatal care, ultimately enhancing developmental outcomes for vulnerable infants.