Working Life: Research shows that babies benefit when parents talk, sing, and read to them

Ciara O’Byrne, neonatal clinical specialist speech and language therapist, The Coombe Hospital

Ciara O’Byrne, neonatal clinical specialist speech and language therapist, The Coombe Hospital

“The role of the neonatal speech and language therapist is relatively new and evolving, but there is growing recognition that feeding and communication go hand in hand from birth. With more babies surviving from as early as 22 weeks’ gestation, I support infants with complex feeding and communication needs, including those born prematurely or with cardiac abnormalities and cleft lip and palate. This is in collaboration with the wider multi-disciplinary team.

“My role is less about speech in the traditional sense and more about helping parents and staff recognise and respond to a baby’s communication cues. Babies communicate from birth through eye contact, facial expressions, body movements, and the sounds they make.