Ah, the terrible twos: in between those heart-warming moments of
wonder and devotion are those tantrums over having to put socks
on that define this year of development. But the latest research
shows that if those outbursts continue past the terrible twos,
they may be a sign of poorly developed language skills. In a new
study published in the journal Child Development, researchers
draw links between communication skills that kids develop as
toddlers and the emotional development that occurs during early
childhood. The findings suggest that language and vocabulary at
the earliest ages may lay a foundation for emotional regulation
among children as they enter preschool and beyond. Psychologists
at Penn State followed 120 young children, first surveyed as
toddlers at 18 months, and then visited or interviewed them
every six months until just after their fourth birthdays. The
researchers tested and assessed the children’s early language
skills, including their vocabulary when talking at home with
their parents. P