{"id":3468,"date":"2025-07-17T19:22:09","date_gmt":"2025-07-17T19:22:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rakovicspeechandlanguagechat.com\/?p=3468"},"modified":"2025-07-20T22:12:52","modified_gmt":"2025-07-20T22:12:52","slug":"shifts-in-childhood-environment-have-impacted-language-development","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rakovicspeechandlanguagechat.com\/?p=3468","title":{"rendered":"\ud83d\udcc9 When the Environment Changes: Understanding the Language Impact of Pandemic-Era Childhood"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rakovicspeechandlanguagechat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/screens-on-language.png?fit=683%2C1024&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"Child using cell phone impact of screens on language Rakovic Speech and Language chat\" class=\"wp-image-3469\" style=\"width:303px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rakovicspeechandlanguagechat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/screens-on-language.png?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rakovicspeechandlanguagechat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/screens-on-language.png?resize=200%2C300&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rakovicspeechandlanguagechat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/screens-on-language.png?resize=683%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 683w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rakovicspeechandlanguagechat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/screens-on-language.png?resize=768%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rakovicspeechandlanguagechat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/screens-on-language.png?resize=600%2C900&amp;ssl=1 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"\">As a speech-language pathologist committed to supporting both language and literacy development, I found the SpeechPathology.com course <em>Obstacles to Language-Rich Environments and Why It Matters for Educational Success<\/em> by Angie Neal to be especially impactful. It pulled together current research, developmental benchmarks, and social shifts into a powerful reminder: <strong>development itself hasn\u2019t changed\u2014the environment has.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">That single line captured the heart of what many of us have been observing since the pandemic. Children\u2019s abilities haven\u2019t \u201cdeclined\u201d\u2014but the conditions that support development have been altered in ways we must now understand and address with clarity, empathy, and intention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-developmental-shifts-and-milestone-mismatches\">\ud83d\udcc9 Developmental Shifts and Milestone Mismatches<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">One of the most eye-opening segments of the course was the comparison between <strong>CDC developmental milestones<\/strong> and those of <strong>ASHA<\/strong>. The CDC\u2019s updated 2022 milestones shifted many expectations to older ages and removed or reduced a number of critical cognitive, social-emotional, and language benchmarks. The goal was to reflect what 75% of children are achieving\u2014yet the result is a framework that risks normalizing delay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">For instance:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\">ASHA expects children to use 50 words between <strong>19\u201324 months<\/strong>; the CDC now lists that milestone at <strong>30 months<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Using sentences of four or more words? ASHA says <strong>24\u201336 months<\/strong>; CDC says <strong>age 4<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">As professionals, we must be cautious not to confuse what is <em>typical<\/em> for what is <em>developmentally appropriate<\/em>. These shifts reinforce the need for environments that actively foster language from birth\u2014not environments that passively wait for children to \u201ccatch up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-pandemic-s-lingering-impact\">\ud83e\udde0 The Pandemic\u2019s Lingering Impact<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">The course highlighted dramatic increases in language-related diagnoses since the pandemic began:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\">A <strong>136% increase<\/strong> in diagnoses of speech\/language disorders in children ages 0\u20132.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">A <strong>33% increase<\/strong> in preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorder.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">More than just numbers, these represent children navigating critical developmental windows with fewer interactions, fewer social opportunities, and higher screen exposure. As Neal explained, children didn\u2019t suddenly lose the ability to develop language\u2014<strong>they lost the environmental conditions that support it<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-screen-time-and-phone-based-childhoods\">\ud83d\udcf1 Screen Time and \u201cPhone-Based\u201d Childhoods<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Another key takeaway: the rise of the \u201cphone-based childhood.\u201d Studies show that children are now averaging over <strong>2.7 hours of screen time<\/strong> per day\u2014almost double the pre-pandemic average. This shift has a ripple effect:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Reduced conversational turns<\/strong> at home<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Decreased joint attention<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Lower executive functioning<\/strong>, including working memory and emotional regulation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Fewer opportunities for pretend play, imagination, and narrative development<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rakovicspeechandlanguagechat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Kids-at-play.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"children-playing-language-development-technology-Rakovic-Speech-Language-Chat\" class=\"wp-image-3471\" style=\"width:301px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rakovicspeechandlanguagechat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Kids-at-play-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rakovicspeechandlanguagechat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Kids-at-play-scaled.jpg?resize=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rakovicspeechandlanguagechat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Kids-at-play-scaled.jpg?resize=1152%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1152w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rakovicspeechandlanguagechat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Kids-at-play-scaled.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"\">I\u2019ve witnessed these contrasts firsthand. When I go to watch my grandson play baseball, I often bring a small collection of toys for his younger siblings and other children nearby\u2014items like figurines and props from <em>Peppa Pig<\/em>. During a recent game, I set out the toys and, almost instantly, a mixed-age group of children gravitated toward them. It was like a magnet. They began sharing, creating stories, and negotiating roles\u2014engaging in rich, spontaneous imaginative play filled with conversation, turn-taking, and collaboration. Just feet away, another parent briefly interacted with their child before placing her in a stroller and handing her a phone already playing a <em>Peppa Pig<\/em> episode. The contrast was striking. Which child\u2019s language was being nourished in that moment\u2014the one passively watching the show, or the one immersed in give-and-take storytelling with peers? The answer, backed by decades of language research, is clear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Perhaps most concerning is that parents\u2019 screen use also contributes to what Neal calls \u201ctechnoference\u201d\u2014a reduction in emotionally responsive, face-to-face interaction between caregiver and child. The irony is powerful: even when families are physically present, they may be emotionally absent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-conversation-still-reigns-supreme\">\ud83d\udcac Why Conversation Still Reigns Supreme<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">This course reinforced the research that <strong>conversation is the \u201csecret sauce\u201d<\/strong> for brain development. Studies show that <strong>children who experience more frequent conversational turns<\/strong> between 18\u201324 months score significantly higher in both verbal IQ and overall language outcomes a decade later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">It\u2019s not the number of words a child hears\u2014it\u2019s how often they are engaged in reciprocal, meaningful interaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-role-of-play-and-imagination\">\ud83e\uddf8 The Role of Play and Imagination<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Language doesn\u2019t grow in isolation. It thrives in play, social exchanges, pretend storytelling, and narrative re-enactments. As someone who already integrates literature-based units and symbolic play into my therapy, this affirmed my belief in treating language not as a \u201cgoal area,\u201d but as a full-body, full-context experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">The course made a compelling case for restoring <strong>play-based learning<\/strong> in early education\u2014and being mindful of how passive screen time undermines it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-final-reflections\">\ud83c\udf31 Final Reflections<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">If you&#8217;re an SLP, educator, or caregiver working with young children today, I highly recommend this course. It connects the dots between the research, the pandemic\u2019s lingering impact, and what we can do moving forward to support development in meaningful, intentional ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Language didn\u2019t change.<br><strong>The environment did.<\/strong><br>And that means we now have the responsibility\u2014and the opportunity\u2014to rebuild what matters most: rich, responsive, human connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-further-reading-amp-research-supporting-this-reflection\">\ud83d\udcda Further Reading &amp; Research Supporting This Reflection<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">The following studies and publications offer research-based context aligned with the themes discussed in <em>When the Environment Changes: Understanding the Language Impact of Pandemic-Era Childhood<\/em>. These references are thoughtfully curated to support the importance of language-rich environments, the developmental impact of screen time, and distinctions in developmental milestones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\">Madigan, S., Browne, D., Racine, N., Mori, C., &amp; Tough, S. (2019). <a><strong>Association Between Screen Time and Children\u2019s Performance on a Developmental Screening Test<\/strong><\/a>. <em>JAMA Pediatrics, 173<\/em>(3), 244\u2013250.<br>\u2013 Links higher screen time at age 2 to poorer developmental outcomes by age 3, including language and communication skills.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">American Academy of Pediatrics. (2016). <a><strong>Media and Young Minds<\/strong><\/a>. <em>Pediatrics, 138<\/em>(5), e20162591.<br>\u2013 A foundational policy statement outlining screen time guidelines and the risks of excessive digital media exposure during early development.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Hirsh-Pasek, K., &amp; Golinkoff, R. M. (2020). <a><strong>A New Path to Education Reform: Playful Learning Promotes 21st-Century Skills in School and Beyond<\/strong><\/a>. <em>Review of Research in Education, 44<\/em>(1), 1\u201336.<br>\u2013 Highlights the role of interactive, language-rich, and play-based learning experiences in building academic readiness and cognitive flexibility.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Zimmerman, F. J., Christakis, D. A., &amp; Meltzoff, A. N. (2007). <a><strong>Television and DVD\/video viewing in children younger than 2 years<\/strong><\/a>. <em>Archives of Pediatrics &amp; Adolescent Medicine, 161<\/em>(5), 473\u2013479.<br>\u2013 Shows that passive screen time is associated with lower language development in toddlers, reinforcing the need for live, reciprocal interaction.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Romeo, R. R., Leonard, J. A., et al. (2018). <a><strong>Beyond the 30-Million-Word Gap: Children\u2019s Conversational Exposure is Associated with Language-Related Brain Function<\/strong><\/a>. <em>Current Biology, 28<\/em>(11), 1709\u20131715.e4.<br>\u2013 Provides neurological evidence that back-and-forth conversation is a stronger predictor of brain development than word count alone.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Tamis-LeMonda, C. S., Kuchirko, Y., &amp; Song, L. (2014). <a><strong>Why Is Infant Language Learning Facilitated by Parental Responsiveness?<\/strong><\/a>. <em>Infant and Child Development, 23<\/em>(6), 629\u2013646.<br>\u2013 Describes how contingent and responsive communication enhances vocabulary acquisition, particularly during critical periods of development.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Fenson, L., Dale, P. S., Reznick, J. S., et al. (2007). <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/mb-cdi.stanford.edu\/\"><strong>MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories: User\u2019s Guide and Technical Manual (2nd ed.)<\/strong><\/a><br>\u2013 Offers a validated tool for understanding typical early language milestones and provides a comparison point to CDC milestones.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Linebarger, D. L., &amp; Vaala, S. (2010). <a><strong>Screen Media and Language Development in Infants and Toddlers: An Ecological Perspective<\/strong><\/a>. <em>Developmental Review, 30<\/em>(2), 176\u2013202.<br>\u2013 Examines how the quantity and context of screen use (e.g., co-viewing vs. solo viewing) impacts expressive and receptive language growth.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Christakis, D. A., et al. (2016). <a><strong>Conversation is the most efficient early-learning system we have<\/strong><\/a>. <em>JAMA Pediatrics<\/em>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-related-blogs\">Related Blogs:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/rakovicspeechandlanguagechat.com\/?p=3364\">How Technology is Rewiring Childhood Mental Health:<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/rakovicspeechandlanguagechat.com\/?p=3063\">A Review of Adam Grant\u2019s \u2018Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/rakovicspeechandlanguagechat.com\/?p=3341\">Upstream Thinking in Education \u2013 A Lesson from Dan Heath<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-related-products\">Related Products:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">For some children with language difficulties they need to be taught conversational skills or given visuals you to assist them in learning the give and take of conversation. These are some of<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As a speech-language pathologist committed to supporting both language and literacy development, I found the SpeechPathology.com course Obstacles to Language-Rich Environments and Why It Matters for Educational Success by Angie Neal to be especially impactful. 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