The Early Development of a Baby
In their first few months of life, babies develop dramatically. They start out unresponsive and unaware, but after a short period of time, they're able to interact with their caregivers. Understanding a baby's early development can help parents know that their child is on track and to detect possible problems.
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Identification
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According to the Mayo Clinic, experts identify four different areas in which a baby develops in his first few months of life: motor skills, hearing, vision and communication. Dr. William Sears, author of "The Baby Book," also notes that babies work to develop their cognitive, or thinking, skills.
First Month
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In the first month of life, parents can expect their newborn to lie flexed as it did in the womb and have a springlike feel to his muscles. Newborns may also have occasional muscle twitches, and can't bear any weight on their legs. Newborns usually can only see eight to 10 inches away, Sears says. What they do see is blurry. In the first month, most babies sleep and eat on erratic schedules. Sears says that much of a newborn's behavior is reflexive. The mouthing reflex, for example, helps newborns eat, as they will automatically suck or turn their head toward a food source. Newborns also have a startle reflex. Newborns will quickly extend their arms or legs out in a startled pose if they hear a loud noise.
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Other Early Development
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In the second or third month, babies usually begin to smile and take an interest in their caregiver's facial expressions. Babies will also start to track objects with their eyes, and they will even start to move their head toward a sound. Babies will also begin to coo, which can be a sign of delight, Sears says.
Prevention/Solution
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Though parents might feel overwhelmed by the idea of tracking their infant's development, the Help Guide, a non-profit resource, says it's important that parents note infant's development or any possible regressions to detect any problems, such as autism, early. Some developmental disorders can be helped or even reversed with early intervention, the Help Guide says.
Considerations
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Parents should also watch their child, and not necessarily the calendar, Sears says. While there is a general average for age that babies achieve certain developmental milestones, he says that it's more important that parents note their baby's actual developmental progression. While some babies might progress later than others, they should still follow the same developmental progression.
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References
- Photo Credit baby image by Diane Stamatelatos from Fotolia.com
