Contrary to previous findings that suggest shy toddlers have language difficulties, a new study found that they're just as capable but are reluctant to respond.

University of Colorado Boulder and University of Connecticut researchers found that shy toddlers are just as capable as their less shy peers and understand what's being said and taught to them. According to a press statement, their performance problems when speaking are not from language difficulties but because they are reluctant to respond to queries.

The study was conducted on 816 children in Colorado. These children came from various socioeconomic backgrounds but were primarily white. Information about them was gathered when they were 14, 20, and 24 months old by observing them in the lab and asking parents for reports. The researchers examined their expressive or spoken language skills by asking them to imitate certain sounds and words and also answering questions verbally.

"Our findings suggest that inhibited behaviors like shyness don't hamper language acquisition overall but instead relate specifically to how toddlers express themselves through words," according to Ashley K. Smith Watts, graduate student, and Soo H. Rhee, associate professor of psychology, both from the University of Colorado and a part of the research team. "Shy children may need help with developing their speaking abilities. They may benefit from interventions that target confidence, social competence, and autonomy to support the development of expressive language. For example, caregivers can encourage them to be autonomous and arrange play dates with compatible peers."

Many children are labeled shy. However, being shy is not always a handicap that "robs you of opportunities." Shyness can be a help or a handicap to a child, depending partly on how it's handled. Children are shy in different ways for different reasons. Understanding the nature of the child's shyness will help parents develop a program geared toward the child's specific needs.

Findings of the study were published in the journal Child Development.

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