Breathing plays a fundamental role in speech production of human adults. The capacity of controlling breathing develops over the first year of life, a critical period for babbling. We tracked one infant from about 7 to 9 months of age, measuring breathing and vocalization during spontaneous interactions with the mother. Analysis of the acoustic (waveform, spectrogram) and respiratory (thoracic volume changes) signals showed a maturation of breathing control, with exhalation phases getting longer and more adult-like over time. The relation between vocalization and respiration also shifted, with phonation occurring more often during inhalation at about 7 months and during exhalation at about 9 months. Thus, breathing is a rhythmic frame that should be integrated into models of speech acquisition.
Fuchs, Susanne, Marianne Jover, Aude Noiray, and Caterina Petrone.
2025. Folia Phoniatrica et Logopaedica, July 10, 1–15 — @HAL