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Moms talk significantly more to their babies than dads, study shows
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According to Pediatrics, researcher Betty Vohr reported that babies hear three times more words from their moms than they do their dads, and in return, they are more likely to verbally respond to their mothers. - photo by istockphoto.com/derejeb
Megan Marsden Christensen
Deseret News National
Updated: Nov 9, 2014, 10:00 AM
Published: Nov 7, 2014, 4:12 PM

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — It’s no secret that women tend to talk more than men, and a recent study shows female chatter has its benefits.

According to Pediatrics, researcher Betty Vohr reported that babies hear three times more words from their moms than they do their dads, and in return, they are more likely to verbally respond to their mothers.

“Mothers are typically the primary caregivers with the most direct interaction with their infants,” Vohr said in the study. “Studies have shown the reciprocal vocalizations between mother and infant have positive effects on language development.”

Despite many mothers having more hands-on time with their babies, researchers evaluated their verbal environment based on an equal amount of time with their mothers and fathers, according to Pediatrics.

To evaluate an infant’s language environment, Vohr and her colleagues equipped 33 babies with microphones and asked their parents to turn them on only when both parents were in the room.

Gathering data from a recording device called LENA, which automatically monitors and distinguishes speech from other environmental sounds, researchers garnered 16 hours of recording on three occasions: just after the infants were born, a few weeks later and seven months later.

When babies began to coo and babble, their moms responded to them 88 percent to 94 percent of the time, while dads answered just 27 percent to 30 percent, according to the study.

"It is known that early language exposure is important for language development," Vohr said in the study. “Children with a rich language environment, specifically infant or child-directed speech, have better language and cognitive outcomes.”

Vohr also reported some gender bias between parents and their children.

While mothers respond more frequently to their daughters, fathers respond more readily to their sons, though the difference wasn’t significant, the study says.

Some investigators have found that both parents speak longer to their girls than to their boys, according to the study.

When conversing with their sons, parents use more descriptive statements and explanations, while they talked more about feelings and emotions with their little girls.

“Both mothers and fathers should be informed about the important benefits of parent talk and a rich language environment on their infants language development and later academic success,” the study says.
Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
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A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
Herb Scribner
Deseret News
Published: Aug 13, 2018, 1:39 PM
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.