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Helping your baby enjoy the visual world
During the first few weeks of birth babies are farsighted, however, as weeks goes by, their vision improves rapidly. They start to see shapes, patterns, and colors sharply. Within a few weeks they can tract objects moving on a horizontal plane as well as vertically with their eyes. Initially they like black and white patterns over colored ones. By about 6 to 8 weeks, babies will stop crying when they see their mother and may smile in response to another smiling face.
Babies find the human face an interesting sight to look at. They will gaze longer at a picture of a face with eyes, nose, and mouth placed at the proper position than a drawing where the anatomical parts are not natural. By about 3 to 4 months, a baby’s vision is nearing 20/20 and the world, to her will be in her finger tips. She could now reach and touch someone.
This is a good time for you to make faces, grimaces, and sticking out of your tongue. More often than not, she will mimic your facial silliness. Create different facial expressions and observe her responses. Show her a red apple and move it slowly from side to side. Tell her that it is a “red apple.”
She will find your face fascinating. However, your eyes will be the most interesting part that she would deeply gaze at. Point at your eyes, and say, “Momma’s eyes.” Then touch her left eye with your index finger and say, “Mary’s eyes.” Repeat this game three or four times. Do this eye gazing and point four times a day.
When you want to get her attention, say, “Mary please look at my eyes” and pointing at your right eye with your index finger. When she looks at your eye, then talk to her and show her bright objects at your right hand.
Your baby might be supersensitive to bright or ordinary light. If so, you’ll notice that she might become upset when the room if flooded with sunlight or when an overhead light shines at her face. If this is the case, dimming the lights might calm her down.
If you notice that she is not interested in watching your face or following slowly moving objects, try to make her environment more visually exciting. Get a bright red hat and put it on your head or get a red apple and hold it from about 10 inches from her face. Then slowly move it from side to side. Shine a flash light in your face and make funny and silly faces. Make her laugh. As time goes on, she will associate your facial expressions with fun and pleasure.
Leo Leonidas, MD, FAAP
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