Cognitive adaptations induced by a multi-language input in early development

Children around the world successfully adapt to the specific
requirements of their physical and social environment, and they
readily acquire any language they are exposed to. Still, learning
simultaneously two languages has been a continuous concern
of parents, educators and scientists. While the focus has
shifted from the possible costs to the possible advantages of
bilingualism, the worries still linger that early bilingualism may
cause delays and confusion. Here we adopt a less dichotomist
view, by asking what specific adaptations might result from
simultaneously learning two languages. We will discuss
findings that point to a surprising plasticity of the cognitive
system allowing young infants to cope with the bilingual input
and reaching linguistic milestones at the same time as
monolinguals.