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Episode 80 – Baby Communication 101: Babbling, First Words & Early Language Development

Dr. Laura Jana joins guest host Dr. Alok Patel to talk about baby communication. They explore early forms of connection like serve and return, joint attention, babbling and baby sign language. They dive into first words, language delays and how screens influence communication development.

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Guests

Alok Patel, MD, FAAP

Dr. Alok Patel is a pediatric hospitalist, medical journalist, on-camera expert and devotee of creative, engaging science communication tactics. He currently serves as the Faculty Director of Communications for the Department of Pediatrics at Stanford Medicine. He works as a pediatric hospitalist within the department of pediatrics at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital.

Laura Jana, MD, FAAP

Dr. Laura Jana is an Omaha-based pediatrician, early educator and award-winning author of over 30 children/parenting books who first gained international recognition working with world-renowned pediatrician, Dr. Benjamin Spock. Having most recently served as Chief Innovation Offer at Penn State University's Evidence to Impact Collaborative, she has over 30 years' experience working with parents, educators, media, academia, government organizations, non-profits and corporations alike. Dr. Jana is a social entrepreneur dedicated to addressing the most pressing needs of children, families and communities. Her most recent books, QI Skills for the Early Childhood Classroom and Jumping into Kindergarten, focus on the social-emotional and other valuable skills needed to succeed in a technology-powered world. She has given TED talks and keynotes on early childhood, 21st century skill development and the future of work.

Resources


Music credits:

Theme music composed by Doug Nagel.

The views expressed in this podcast are those of the guests and not necessarily those of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Last Updated
4/23/2026
Source
American Academy of Pediatrics (Copyright © 2026)
The information contained on this Web site should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.