Cries as Infant Communication

In the most recent Meeting of the Minds, I reacted in the chat to a remark spoken by Jean Binswanger. My remark in the chat:

I wholeheartedly agree that even infants can be taught to understand words. One of the easiest to communicate in early stages: “milk.” “Do you want milk?” . . . . Clear speech follows later in children as nervous system and muscular development of the lips and tongue advance.

Jean responded, also in the chat:

I disagree with the cause and effect here. As the baby has more visual concepts, he also develops a VALUE of communication, which starts with pointing, etc. It is the desire to communicate that then leads to more practice moving lips, etc., to articulate the words.

Her key point, I believe, is that the value of communication motivates effort to communicate.

1. I appreciate the insight. Jean’s point is important and was not captured in my remark nor seen by me. Jean’s comment does not contradict what I said. A certain level of muscular development will be necessary before the child can form clear speech. The capabilities of lips and tongue develop gradually. The child is not born with the virtuosity of an adult’s vocal organs. Think of occasions when you’ve struggled to understand a toddler and this will become clear.

2. I would identify milk not as a “visual concept,” but as one based primarily in other sensory experience (taste and touch). I agree that visual sense data will be an important source of information in later concept formation.

3. Communication begins with cries rather than with words. Professor of Pediatrics William Sammons writes in his very valuable book The Self-Calmed Baby:

Learning what . . . cries mean is a matter of “parent education.” Like many other areas of the relationship [between parent and newborn], this is an interaction. The baby initiates with a sound, but the parent’s reaction partially shapes the meaning. If every cry is heard as a need to be fed, then the infant’s communication system is limited. On the other hand, the parent who experiments and tries different responses opens new avenues of communication. . . . You will learn what your baby is trying to say more quickly if you begin from a premise that your child is trying to provide some message through her cries.

Dr. Sammons maintains that a mother can learn to distinguish multiple kinds of cries from her infant. An especially shrill cry might indicate the pain of trapped digestive gas. Adjusting the position of the infant’s body can assist in relieving the child’s discomfort. 

Dr. Sammons gives other examples.

Dr. Sammons’ book is assigned reading in the Montessori Assistants to Infancy training courses. The book was brought to my attention by the Objectivist Montessorian Catherine Dickerson.

Jean Binswanger, thank you for your comment.

/sb