Bath Babylab to explore how young children see and interact with the world

A brand new facility on the University of Bath will officially open its doors this weekend (Saturday 24 June) at a public event to showcase the work of the Bath Babylab.

Led by University-based child development expert Dr Rachael Bedford, the Bath Babylab will explore how infants and young children see and interact with the world around them, considering what aspects impact their development.

It builds on plenty of research projects the University has been involved in over recent years, including the impacts of screen time on children’s cognitive development. On the Babylab, using specialist eye-tracking software, the team can assess how screen time influences children’s attention.

A 2021 study from Dr Bedford and colleagues found that toddlers who commonly use touchscreens could also be more distractible. Their latest longitudinal research suggests that prime screen use can also be linked to difficulties with executive functions, making it harder for youngsters to regulate their actions.

Other research areas to be explored by the Bath Babylab include aspects influencing language development and language delay amongst children. Significant numbers of youngsters are thought to experience delays in language learning, yet many children won’t ever receive a diagnosis or see a speech and language therapist.

We all know that a toddler’s early environment is vital in influencing how they learn and develop. Our research on the Bath Babylab goals to know aspects which influence how children listen, sleep and learn language.

One recent change to children’s early environment has been the rapid proliferation of smartphones and tablets, which permit even very young children to interact with digital media. Understanding the impacts of this on infant and toddler cognitive development is a key aim of our research.

We aim to know whether similar aspects predict development in neurodiverse populations – for instance, in children with autism or ADHD. Our hope is that through in-depth research we are able to provide an evidence base to assist parents and carers make informed decisions.”

Dr Rachael Bedford, Lead, Bath Babylab

The team involved within the Babylab includes cognitive development expert Dr Nathalia Gjersoe. Dr Gjersoe was involved within the BBC series ‘Babies: Their Wonderful World’ and was also one among the important thing scientific advisors for the Apple TV series ‘Becoming You’. This checked out how our first 2,000 days shapes the remainder of our life.

She added: “I’m so excited concerning the launch of the Bath Babylab. The facilities are based in a ravishing, cutting-edge research suite designed to maximise the fun and luxury of the youngsters and families involved. We now have the capability to explore and answer a wide selection of critical questions on not only what impacts on the lives of babies and youngsters, but in addition how these early influences shape the adolescents and adults they grow to be.”