Research Finds Babies Laugh Differently Than Adults, Similar To Chimps

BOSTON (CBS)- What's any sweeter than a baby's laughter?

Researchers in the Netherlands have discovered that babies laugh differently than adults in a rather unusual way.

They laugh more like monkeys.

Researchers studied the laughter of 44 kids between 3 and 18 months of age.

They found that the youngest babies commonly laughed both when they inhaled and exhaled similar to other primates, like chimpanzees. Older babies tended to laugh only during exhalation like older children and adults.

Researchers say it appears to be a gradual change over time. And while it's not clear why the change, it might have something to do with the vocal control humans develop as they learn to speak.

They say studying laughter and other vocalizations in normally developing babies could help identify children early on who may have future problems with speaking.