home Audience 12 When a newborn baby begins to hear and see. When does a newborn begin to hear? The infant turns its head to an auditory stimulus

When a newborn baby begins to hear and see. When does a newborn begin to hear? The infant turns its head to an auditory stimulus

Well, the long-awaited moment has finally arrived when young parents take their newborn baby home. Bending over the crib, mom and dad look at their beloved child.

What's wrong with hearing?

Many people are familiar with the situation when, while still in the maternity hospital and then at home, the baby sleeps, even with loud conversations, the crying of other children or other similar sounds. Parents wonder how long it takes for newborns to begin to see and hear.

Doctors have long established that hearing develops during intrauterine development. Already from the 17th week of pregnancy, the baby is able to hear certain sounds produced by the mother’s body.

The baby is able to hear sounds. Only due to physiological characteristics does he not react to quiet and low-volume sounds. But if you slam something sharply, the child flinches.

Keep quiet

Interesting fact! Within a few hours after birth, the baby reacts differently to voices. At the sound of the mother's voice, the child calms down.

Now all newborns have their hearing checked in the maternity hospital with a special device. The examination is repeated when the child turns 1 month old, but in the clinic.

In any case, the baby soon begins to respond to many sounds. And if just recently he could sleep in a noisy room, within a month the child should already be provided with a quiet room for rest.

Developing hearing

Almost from birth, when a newborn begins to see and hear, you can develop your hearing abilities.

To do this, just talk to your baby as often as possible, sing him children's songs and nursery rhymes. Avoid harsh sounds, especially screams and rows.

Parents often turn on the TV in the background, considering it entertainment for themselves. But don't get carried away with it or make the sound too loud. Such a load is too strong for the baby, it can cause overwork and, accordingly, whims, poor sleep and crying.

What does the baby see?

Of course, any mother is concerned about the question of when newborn children begin to see and hear. A woman leans over her adored toddler and wonders if the baby can see her.

In the maternity hospital, babies' eyes are checked using a light beam. When exposed to light, a normally developed pupil becomes smaller.

The newborn is not yet able to distinguish objects, but can see light and dark spots. But literally in a month the child will be able to see the features of surrounding objects from a distance of about 30 cm.

Modern publishers of books for children even produce copies with black and white pictures.

In any case, at the time when the newborn begins to see and hear, the mother’s voice will be the most favorite sound. And the most interesting object that attracts a baby is the face. Moreover, many psychologists even recommend fixing a drawn image of a face in his field of vision while the baby is awake.

How vision develops

By asking the pediatrician about what time a newborn begins to see and hear, mothers will understand that before the age of 1 month there is no point in showing the child colorful toys. After all, now in the eyes of the baby everything is black and white.

Progressive manufacturers have even begun to produce such toys. Striped things especially attract attention.

1-3 months

When compared with an adult, the baby’s vision level is 50% of the normal version. Gradually, the ability to distinguish between light spots appears. You can show multi-colored toys, but in black and white they will attract the child’s attention more.

3-6 months

Knowing what time a newborn begins to see and hear, you can plan your activities correctly. So, at three months the baby is able to distinguish between red and yellow colors. Therefore, display rattles with a predominance of these particular shades.

At three to four months you can hang up a multi-colored mobile. In addition to the quiet sound, to which the baby already reacts, such a toy will attract him with bright patterns. A child at this age is very interested in various paintings such as gesture or Khokhloma.

I am not yet able to distinguish the shades of the eyes. And even at an older age this must be taught. After all, many adults, especially men, have little understanding of colors such as turquoise, lilac or light green.

6 months

Vision becomes binocular. This means that everything visible through the baby’s eyes is combined into one picture.

Why do my eyes squint?

It is clear that when a newborn begins to see and hear, there are very important points. And many questions arise specifically about vision and hearing.

So, sometimes a newborn’s eyes cross. This worries parents a lot. But when newborn babies begin to see and hear, things often happen that are a little scary, but at the same time, really not scary at all.

The same applies to slightly squinting eyes. If this is a rare occurrence, there is nothing to worry about.

This is due to the fact that the picture cannot be read by both eyes at the same time. The visible will unite into one picture only closer to 6 months.

But, despite this, if your eyes are constantly squinting, you need to consult an ophthalmologist. Only a doctor can conduct an examination and reassure the mother or prescribe timely treatment. At such a young age, vision can be easily corrected. The main thing is to notice the problem in time.

It is clear that when a newborn begins to see and hear, all these important issues concern all new parents. It is necessary to understand that a baby’s hearing and vision appear from birth. It is necessary to develop them correctly and avoid mistakes.

Has the connection with the world been established, or when does the newborn begin to see and hear?

It is naive to believe that immediately after birth a child will hear and see in the same way as an adult. The development processes laid down by nature have not been canceled and cannot be canceled. There are many scientific facts describing the stages of extrauterine life when a newborn begins to see and hear.

However, it is worth remembering that each baby is unique, so time periods are determined that include certain visual or auditory reactions that help the body reach a new level of orientation in the surrounding space.

How does a newborn see and what can he hear?

In our body, fully adapted to the familiar world, everything goes smoothly. Therefore, we see differently than newborns see. The structure of the eye is similar to the structure of the cerebral cortex, and their development occurs almost simultaneously.

At birth, the baby has a number of unconditioned reflexes, including the reaction of the pupils to light, both direct and friendly, as well as many defensive reactions and even a generalized response to bright lighting.

Many people are interested in whether newborns see people, their faces, and objects. Children's visual acuity is so low that they can only determine the silhouette, and they consciously begin to react to the movements of an object only at the age of 1 month.

However, in relation to the other sense organs, the work of which is manifested even in utero, the structures of the eye are very actively involved in the work. This is especially noticeable by the age of 3 months, when the child begins to see and recognize the arrival of his mother or other close people who spend waking hours with him.

Studies have shown that nightlights with adjustable soft light in the room where the baby sleeps not only prevent the occurrence of sudden infant death syndrome, but also stimulate the development of the visual system, this is explained by an indirect effect on sensitive photoreceptors.

With hearing, everything goes a little differently, since the child hears from the 16th week of pregnancy. It is worth considering that when the baby is born, one habitually muffled mother’s voice disappears, and many sounds, tones and halftones take its place.

The adult ear is not capable of perceiving absolutely all the sounds that newborn children can hear. The reason lies not only in the fact that hearing acuity decreases with age. The brain simply dampens background noise to make human speech sound clearer.

At what months do babies begin to see and hear?

In the first month, light adaptation mechanisms appear and turn on. By the end of this period, the child can observe the light source for a minute or more. At 2 - 3 months, children begin to rejoice at the arrival of their mother, when they see her outline and hear her voice. From the end of the 3rd to the beginning of the 6th month, the child can recognize all the people around him with his attention.

Scientists have proven that children begin to distinguish colors as early as 3 months. Red is the first color that kids consciously distinguish from the rest. That is why it is recommended to use all shades of this color in children's toys.

By the end of the second month of life, the child is actively oriented in nearby space. At the age of 4 months, a grasping reflex appears, but the baby very often misses, as he determines the distance to the object incorrectly. And only after 6 months, when the baby begins to crawl and makes his first attempts to walk, does he begin to distinguish how far or close an object is located.

The final spatial arrangement of objects is formed only by the age of 7, when a student or kindergarten student will be able to well understand and analyze the information received with the eyes.

Compared to vision, hearing adaptation occurs more slowly. However, during the first month the baby reacts to loud noise, and at the end of the second month it detects the mother's voice. By six months, he responds to his name and shows curiosity about the source of the noise. The development of speech and the emergence of new sounds and words in children older than 5-6 months is the most informative assessment of hearing.

How to determine hearing or vision impairment in a newborn?

Assessing reactions to light, rustling, rustling, moving an object or a ray of light are the main ways to test vision and hearing in the first days of life. But this can only reveal severe congenital pathology.

Parents should immediately contact an ophthalmologist or ENT doctor for help and advice if:

at the end of the first month, short-term interest in the movement of a large object does not appear, the baby does not react to a too bright light source or loud noise;
by 4 months, the child does not recognize the person who provides care for him, and also does not begin to repeat individual sounds or respond to noise;
by 4 - 5 months he does not try to reach for a toy, and, holding it in his hands, does not try to look at it, does not gurgle, does not babble;
by 7 months the baby has not said the first syllable, does not want to play with a toy, and has not shown interest in the world around him;
at 1 year old, the child does not even have a very small vocabulary, he does not try to orient himself in space, is not interested in the source of noise or light, and does not play with toys.

When caring for a child, a mother may notice a visible defect (horizontal or vertical eye movements, strabismus), which may become more pronounced. In this case, it is necessary to consult an ophthalmologist as soon as possible.

When does a newborn baby begin to hear and see?

When you hold your newborn baby for the first time, a new mother's world is turned upside down. This tiny lump is a real person in miniature; he still clumsily opens his eyes and looks at the world around him. There is an opinion that during the first weeks the child sees poorly and practically does not hear anything around. How true this statement is, and when a baby begins to see and hear after birth, we will consider in our article.

The ability to see and hear: when the baby’s abilities manifest themselves

The vision of a newborn baby undergoes a number of changes in the first month of life. A baby is born with vision called peripheral vision. Peripheral vision makes it possible to see those areas that are located on the sides of the baby. Gradually, the child masters the ability to focus his gaze on a point located in the center of his field of vision.

By the end of the first month of life, vision develops to the following level:

the baby is able to fix his gaze on objects that are nearby at a distance of up to 30 cm;
parents may notice that at times the baby’s eyes seem to “run away”, from time to time the child may cross his eyes;
the baby prefers to look at contrasting patterns, but black and white pictures are of greater interest to him;
The child enjoys looking at human faces.

What does a newborn baby see?

A child who is only a few days old is very sensitive to bright light. His pupils are very small, this is provided by nature itself, so that excess light rays do not penetrate into the eye. Upon reaching two weeks of age, the pupils begin to gradually dilate. This gives the baby the opportunity to perceive a wider range of light and shadows.

A newborn child sees the environment around him with certain features:

in the first weeks after birth, the baby does not yet hold his gaze on objects for more than 5 seconds;
a newborn may “squint” his gaze for the reason that using both eyes at the same time is a skill that is learned over the next 6 months. At first, it is still difficult for an infant to control his vision;
after 4 weeks of life, babies begin to see better and are able to focus their gaze well on a bright object, but only for a short time, more “sliding” their eyes over its surface.

The retina also trains and develops daily, and as this light-sensitive tissue matures, the child's ability to detect more complex patterns improves.

Features of hearing in newborns

The first hearing test for a baby will be carried out in the maternity hospital, immediately after birth. We answer the question when newborn children begin to hear - a healthy baby begins to hear voices and sounds in the first days of his birth. Moreover, children not only hear what surrounds them, but are also able to remember some of the sounds.

Hearing development in an infant by the end of the first month of life:

the baby's hearing is fully developed;
the baby is able to recognize some of the sounds;
the child turns his head towards a familiar voice or sound source.

In the first month of life, the baby will listen to human voices with great attention. You will notice that if you turn your speech to the baby, “coo” with him, he will turn to you so that you are in his field of attention and will listen carefully to your voice. That is why, wondering how many days later children begin to see and hear, rest assured that the infant sees and hears you from birth.

Favorite objects – attracting the baby’s eye

Most of all, the baby likes to look at objects located directly in front of him at a distance of 20-38 cm. These can be rattles of different colors, or pictures hung along the sides of the crib. To establish contact with your baby and help him focus his eyes, you can practice simple and useful exercises.

We learn to keep our gaze on an object. To develop this skill, you need to carefully turn the baby's head from side to side, while keeping his gaze turned to your face. Be sure to accompany the exercise with emotions - a smile, a wink, humming.

Children 2-3 weeks of age are better able to focus their gaze on objects in a vertical position. Carry your baby in your arms more often, even if at first it seems to you that the baby is not looking at anything around you. The baby needs time to concentrate on the subject. Take your time and give your baby time to look at the bright objects in the environment.

Train your child's vision with toys of different colors, show him images of simple faces, bright contrasting stripes, circles, and squares. The baby's visual organs develop very quickly, and very soon he will be able to perceive the difference between red, blue and yellow colors.

By the end of the first month of life, the child will be able to briefly focus his gaze on objects distant from him at a distance of 90 cm. At this time, it’s time to hang a funny pendant or a singing carousel over the crib - they will undoubtedly attract the baby’s attention.

When does a newborn baby begin to see and hear well?

After the birth of a child, inexperienced parents often worry about everything. For example, why does he sleep so much, cry so much (or little)? Why doesn’t it react to the hair dryer working in the next room? Why are his eyes constantly moving apart? The last two questions will definitely not arise if parents know when their newborn baby begins to see and hear.

Protected by nature itself

Many baby animals are born blind and half-deaf. Human children are also born with reduced hearing and vision. Firstly, the necessary centers of the brain are not yet mature enough. And secondly, this is a kind of protective mechanism with the help of which nature creates more comfortable conditions for babies for further development, partially protecting newborns from severe stress, because a fragile nervous system is not able to survive them.

After 9 months of being in conditions where it is always “almost dark”, “almost quiet”, a newborn child gets acquainted with a new world. And here there are loud sounds, noises, bright colors, blinding lights. If all this is added to the stress that the baby experienced during the birth itself, he simply will not survive such a shock. But he still needs to “quickly” learn to eat, digest food, somehow sleep outside of his mother...

Of course, this does not mean that we are all born deaf and blind. It’s just that vision and hearing work in a “muted” mode in the first weeks.

As the small organism adapts to the new conditions of its existence, the brain centers responsible for the main sources of information about the world improve: auditory and visual perception.

Newborn vision

So, you should not think that the newborn is blind. The whole question is what and how he can see. At the time of birth, his vision is much lower than that of an adult, due to the immaturity of the brain, as well as the eyeball and retina, which still lacks the corpus luteum. Therefore, immediately after birth, the child begins to see large light or dark blurry spots. As well as large bright objects located directly in front of his face. His eyes cannot yet focus together on one object, so it often seems to parents that their baby’s pupils are “spreading apart,” wandering, and squinting.

This state of affairs will continue until at least 2.5 months, when the baby will have binocular vision - the ability to look at an object with both eyes at once and focus. True, this focus is not yet very “tuned”; the baby’s gaze remains a little “sliding”. However, already at the age of one month, babies can recognize the faces of mom or dad located close to them against the general background. It is believed that from this period the child begins to distinguish clear, rich colors: first red, yellow, by 3-4 months - green, blue, by 5 months - all primary colors, closer to a year - many different shades. Therefore, there is no point in surrounding him with objects of incomprehensible borderline halftones; they will not interest him.

It happens that the baby continues to mow at 3 or even 4 months. This can be either the norm or some kind of violation. Therefore, in this case, it is better to show the baby to the doctor.

At 3 months, the baby more confidently and enthusiastically watches the toys in front of his eyes; after another month he can already grab, pull into his mouth, examine toys, and his hands. The focus is already quite sharp. At this time, try to ensure that your baby always sees your face the same: with the same hairstyle, wearing the same glasses. Do not change your facial expressions too abruptly, give him the opportunity to get used to it.

At the 5th month, the child learns to coordinate the movements of his hands with the help of his eyes, and at six months he begins to distinguish small objects and details. Next, the baby learns to recognize the shape and volume of objects, recognize them by individual details, and look for a toy that has disappeared from sight. Closer to 10–12 months, imperfect child vision turns into “real adult” vision.

Newborn hearing

But the baby begins to hear in the womb. He can perceive melodies and voices by ear. Especially often he hears his mother’s voice. Therefore, when born, she is one of the first to recognize him.

As soon as they are born, newborns begin to hear predominantly sharp, loud and high-pitched sounds as significant stimuli. Babies have the appropriate reaction to them: flinching, fear, crying, freezing. Monotonous or blurry sounds (human conversation, a working TV or a hairdryer in the next room) still remain a familiar background. The child will begin to respond to them closer to 3–4 months. Therefore, you should not worry that your baby’s hearing is impaired if he shows a reaction to loud and sharp sounds. But if it is not there, you need to visit a pediatrician.

In the first 2 months of a child’s life, try to protect his delicate psyche from sharp, sudden sounds and screams (even a strong cough or sneeze can scare the baby).

However, already in the first month, babies react not only to loud sounds or rattles, but also to the intonation of an adult’s speech, his timbre of voice. Absolutely all children love listening to music (especially classical).

Outwardly this manifests itself in different ways:

active movements of the limbs;
turning the head towards the sound;
flinching or freezing;
crying or listening.

The baby may also frown or start blinking.

From the second month, the reaction to changes in the rhythm of sounds will be obvious: if the mother speaks faster, the baby’s arms and legs begin to move in time with her speech rate, and vice versa. If she starts talking in a rough voice, the baby may frown or freeze.

With each month, the child shows reactions to increasingly quieter and more distant sounds. During this period, his intellect also actively develops, the baby becomes interested in what is happening around him. After about six months, we can say that the child’s hearing has leveled out. Now he even listens to rustles and whispers in another room.

This is how the organs of vision and hearing develop in newborns. Bright and musical toys and objects, as well as mother’s singing, can help the baby with this.

When a newborn begins to see and hear: developmental features

The condition of the baby immediately after birth raises a number of questions and concerns among young parents. Why does he react poorly to noises - for example, does he not wake up when a vacuum cleaner is running in the next room? Why doesn't he notice when someone enters the room? And in general, is everything okay and when do newborns begin to see and hear? In fact, as a rule, there is no real cause for concern, and now we will find out why.

In the mother's belly it is comfortable, warm and dark, and suddenly the baby finds himself in a new world, full of movement, light, colors, sounds. Nature is very wise: it protects a newly born person from stress associated with a sudden “change of environment.” The development of all functions (vision, hearing, motor activity) should occur naturally over several months. And how correctly this happens, in some cases only an experienced doctor can say.

Features of hearing development

The baby already has hearing in utero, at 16-17 weeks. Experiments prove that children hear both voices and music perfectly, and after birth the phenomenon of “recognition” of melodies or even poetry is observed. "Recognition" usually manifests itself in animated movements. Most quickly, the baby begins to recognize his mother and the timbre of her voice, because it is this voice that he is most accustomed to.

Rattles and other objects that make not too quiet sounds, as well as light clapping of your hands near the ear, are a good way to test your baby's hearing. The main thing is not to overdo it and not to scare the baby. When talking to him, change the pace, volume of speech and intonation and you will see:

movements of arms and legs;
changes in facial expression;
movements of the head or “search” with the eyes;
flinching or freezing.

Crying or convulsive movements usually appear when sounds frighten the child, for example, an unfamiliar voice nearby, loud conversation, and especially screaming. Do not be alarmed by the baby’s “inappropriate” (too sharp) reaction, he just has very heightened sensitivity, and this is normal. At least in the first month, all family members and guests should behave more quietly, and direct communication with the baby should be calm and even.

Talk to your baby more, sing or play children's songs, tell poems and short fairy tales. This, in addition to the development of hearing, lays the foundation for the formation of speech.

Features of vision formation

Rest assured, children begin to see immediately after birth, although numerous studies have proven that at this time vision is blurry: adaptation to unusual conditions occurs. Don't worry if your baby rarely opens his eyes or mostly squints. And there are also babies who, already in the first hours of life, look “surprised” at the world around them.

This is how a newborn’s vision is formed and what stages of development visual function goes through over time.

When “establishing” eye contact, hold the baby vertically: in this position, his gaze focuses better. Even when the newborn begins to see well, do not rush - wait until he concentrates. Your face (or the object that you are showing) should be at a distance of about 20 cm from the child’s eyes. When communicating, try not to change your facial expression or overall appearance too dramatically, including your hairstyle; don’t even take off your glasses if you wear them. - to look familiar to the baby and not worry him.

Possible problems

So, you should not immediately jump to conclusions that your baby has poor hearing or vision. But it must be remembered that there are cases in which this assumption may be true.

Hearing problems in the baby (deafness, hearing loss) are possible during pathological childbirth or if the mother during pregnancy:

suffered from rubella, measles;
was addicted to alcohol and drugs;
took drugs with toxic effects (antibiotics).

Be wary if your child:

does not show anxiety at unexpected, loud sounds;
does not respond to your voice by changing behavior or facial expressions;
at 4 months does not pay attention to people talking or to a musical toy;
often pulls his ears (possibly high blood pressure, infection).

Poor vision in a newborn (or blindness) can occur if the mother during pregnancy:

had rubella (risk of congenital cataracts);
suffered from toxemia/toxoplasmosis/toxocariasis.

In the fourth week of life, the baby should already focus his gaze on objects for a short time. Check your vision this way: close your baby's right eye and show the toy, then do the same with the left eye.

If parents have even the slightest suspicion that something is going wrong, they should seek advice from a pediatrician and relevant specialists - an ophthalmologist, an otolaryngologist. They know when a newborn child begins to see and when his hearing develops, and they will notice developmental deviations in time.

What time do babies begin to see and hear?

Scientists have long figured out when a newborn begins to hear and see. After birth, some rarely open their eyes, others squint, and still others immediately begin to look at the world around them. Also, babies react differently to sound stimuli.

Formation of vision

Pregnant women are always interested in the question of when the newborn begins to see. It has already been proven that this happens immediately after birth. However, at first, babies' vision is blurry, as the baby is just adapting to an unfamiliar environment. Infants have low visual acuity. Vision improves gradually as the brain, retina and eyeball develop.

How newborns see: vision development by month

Distinguishes between darkness and light, but in gray shades.

Sees large objects, but blurry.

Begins to follow large objects and people. The gaze begins to focus, but is still moving and does not stop on objects.

He spends a long time looking at moving toys. Distinguishes between yellow and red colors.

He looks at the rattles, takes them in his hands and examines them, bringing them closer to his face. He is not yet able to judge the distance to objects, but he can already distinguish primary colors. Begins to focus his gaze and generally sees well.

Already distinguishes all colors.

Recognizes relatives, observes small objects. The sensitivity of the retina is 2/3 of the sensitivity of the retina of an adult.

Able to recognize geometric shapes.

Sees all objects whole and in parts, tries to find objects that disappear from the field of vision. Distinguishes not only colors, but also their shades. Vision is already like that of an adult.

Binocular vision is formed only from the 6th week, and the child begins to see consciously from the 4th month. Until this time, the baby does not know how to use both eyes to “look”, so it seems that his gaze is squinting or wandering. This is normal for up to six months, but if this look remains longer, this is a reason to consult a doctor to prevent the development of blindness.

Hearing development

Mothers are always interested in whether the baby can hear in the womb. The baby's hearing begins to develop from the 17th week of pregnancy. Women talk to their child throughout their pregnancy, as a result of which the child remembers the mother’s voice and subsequently easily distinguishes it from others. After birth, the baby also hears perfectly, but his physiology is such that only loud and sharp sounds cause a reaction.

Interestingly, a few hours after birth, the child can already distinguish voices and react differently to them. However, in any case, the voice that he heard in the womb has a calming effect on him. The baby's hearing is tested immediately after birth using a light beam.

The next examination is carried out every month, in a regular clinic. Adaptation of hearing (compared to vision) occurs more slowly. In the first month, the baby reacts only to loud sounds and noise. Hearing development can be done from the moment of birth. The baby listens to the voice when people talk to him and sing songs to him.

Sharp and loud sounds frighten him. By six months, the baby already recognizes his name and shows curiosity about the source of the noise. As a result, the child begins to make new sounds, which is considered a good indicator of hearing development.

Help in the development of vision and hearing

The baby most likes to look at objects that are ten centimeters directly in front of him. At first it is difficult for the child to focus his eyes. There are special exercises to develop this skill:

You need to carefully turn the child's head in different directions and hold it when a face or a bright toy comes into his field of vision. It is desirable that the object be as large as possible. This way the baby’s gaze will “catch on” to it faster.
It is easier for two- or three-week-old infants to hold their gaze in a vertical position. Even if from the outside it seems that he does not see or examine anything, many objects still fall into his field of vision, so the child needs to be carried in his arms as often as possible.
After six months, you can train your eyesight with toys of different colors, especially if they have contrasting circles or stripes. A child’s vision develops very quickly, and he is already interested in looking at different colors.

By the end of the 1st month of life, the child sometimes focuses (albeit briefly) on objects that are 90 cm away from him, so it is advisable to place a large pendant or a ringing carousel above the crib. This will attract the baby's attention and promote hearing development.

How is hearing and vision impairment determined?

The main ways to test hearing and vision are rustling, rustling, and moving light rays. All of the above applies in the first days after birth. Seeing a doctor is necessary if after the 1st month there is no short-term interest in the baby when a large object moves.

Also an alarming symptom is the child’s lack of reaction to too loud sounds or bright lights. By the 4th month, the baby should already recognize the person who is caring for him and make different sounds. It’s bad if, as a child grows up, he doesn’t try to look at the toys and isn’t interested in what’s happening around him.

Sometimes parents begin to wonder whether newborns can see if their eyes wander. If a sideways glance does not always appear, but periodically, then this is normal for up to six months. The baby simply looks at his surroundings with one eye. All fragments begin to unite into one picture only after six months.

The baby begins to hear in the mother’s womb, and immediately after birth, the baby is bombarded with many new sounds and he learns to distinguish them. Vision is formed after the child is born, but it develops very quickly, and by the age of one year the baby sees the same as adults.

When do newborn babies begin to see and hear?

When does a newborn begin to see and hear? This question is of great concern to young mothers of first-born babies. When a child settles into his home, the joy of parents and relatives knows no end! What eyes, what hands! Everything pleases in a small creature. But why doesn't he focus his gaze on the object? Isn't it scary? Mommy should know that newborn babies do not see like adults.

Baby's vision and hearing

Don’t worry - all newborns are born partially deaf and partially blind, because they lived for a long time in a specific environment - the mother’s womb. For intrauterine existence, vision and hearing are not required, which is why these organs did not develop. The adaptation period to the conditions of the new world lasts several months. These are the protective functions of the body: nature protects the little man from unnecessary shocks during the transition from one world to another. It was cozy, warm and dark in my mother’s tummy.

Partial blocking of the organs of vision and hearing - protecting newborns from stress.

Is the baby really born completely blind? At what age does a baby begin to focus his eyes? In fact, a baby is not born blind or deaf, and after a certain time all the functions of the senses come to the appropriate state. When will the baby start hearing? Clear hearing will appear in due time, you will notice it. Children hear even better than adults (this quality is lost over time).

What do newborn babies see? At first, they only distinguish between light and dark: their vision is unclear and their images are blurry. The little one sees a picture - “a hedgehog in the fog.” What can a baby distinguish well in a month? At this time, the child can already catch a bright large object with his vision if it is nearby. Therefore, bright moving toys with music are hung in the cradle to develop the ability to hear and fixate the gaze.

Features of visual skills

How to make a month-old baby see his mother? To do this, you need to bring your face very close to the baby’s face in order to accurately fall into his field of vision. Don't hesitate, your baby will definitely see you! This is how he learns to recognize his relatives. The mother's face is usually the very first visual image that an infant recognizes in the new world.

Why does the baby look strange, does he really have a squint? Don't worry, a baby under four months does not have the ability to clearly fix his gaze on an object. Understand that in the womb no objects came into his sight. The baby and head begin to hold only at three months, especially the look!

How many months should I wait for my eyes to stop running and squinting? Some newborns squint their eyes until they are six months old. This is normal, however, it won't hurt to see an ophthalmologist. A home method for checking strabismus is using a flashlight. You need to shine a flashlight into the eyes (not from close range!) and see where the reflection is. If the reflection of light is in the same place, there is no need to worry. If in one eye the reflection is in the center, and in the other eye it is on the side: you should sound the alarm.

Color perception

Until about one month of age, the baby does not distinguish colors. It is believed that he sees everything in black and white. By two months, the baby can distinguish colored objects. At the age of three months, the baby distinguishes between red and yellow tones; other colors are not yet accessible to its perception.

You yourself will notice that a three-month-old baby begins to be interested in colored objects. At this time, you can hang a musical carousel with bright toys above the cradle. The baby also likes to look at:

colored patterns;
beautiful painting on objects.

The child contemplates with interest the design of the carpet and Zhostovo painting on wooden plates. To develop visual skills, it is necessary to hang pieces of carpet ornaments and wooden painted plates above the crib. By the age of six months, the baby begins to recognize all the colors of the rainbow!

Features of auditory skills

When a newborn begins to see, we found out. At what weeks does a baby begin to hear fully? The child distinguishes sounds from birth. Moreover, he distinguishes sounds during intrauterine existence: scientists say so. A distinctive feature of a baby’s hearing is insufficient clarity of perception.

For example, a child immediately reacts to a loud knock, but does not perceive the calm speech of adults. When will the baby have normal hearing? This event will happen by three months: you will immediately notice the baby’s reaction to sounds.

Very loud sounds and screams frighten babies, so do not allow yourself to scream in the presence of the baby.

What do babies like to listen to? Scientists have found that infants respond well to the sounds of classical music. Why this happens is not known. Therefore, turn on a recording of works by classics of world musical culture: Mozart, Vivaldi, Haydn. Classical music has a good effect on food digestion processes.

Developing baby's vision and hearing

Scientists have proven that vision can be corrected well in the first six months of life. If parents have visual defects, they should not miss the chance to correct them in their baby.

To develop your vision, do the following exercises:

from the first weeks of life, show the baby bright pictures: large black objects on a white background;
during classes, you should bring pictures no closer than 30 cm from the baby’s eyes;
periodically cover the picture with a white sheet and then open it;
From the age of three months, continue the exercise with color pictures.

To develop hearing you need:

constantly talk to the baby;
turn on calm classical music;
sing songs to the baby;
you can turn on the radio.

Remember that the development of the senses depends entirely on the parents. Constantly practice with your baby in listening to high-quality musical compositions (not rock!), read fairy tales, look at pictures and beautiful objects.

Don’t forget to rinse and clean your baby’s eyes and ears.

Photobank Lori

By communicating with your baby during the period, you give him a feeling of security and prepare him for birth.
From birth, teach your baby to moderate noise - babies do not need complete silence, even when falling asleep.
By reading fairy tales to your baby and singing lullabies, you not only develop his hearing, but also expand his knowledge about the world around him.

The baby begins to hear long before birth

It turns out that the process of formation of the fetal auditory system is completed around . It is at this stage that you can begin to communicate with your baby - share your impressions with him, describe the world around him, tell him how much you love him and are waiting for him.

Scientists say that in the mother’s womb there is excellent audibility - the walls of the abdomen and the placenta transmit sounds with a volume of 30 decibels. Of course, the amniotic fluid somewhat muffles the noise coming from outside for the child. But this does not prevent the baby from not only hearing voices, but also distinguishing their intonations, timbre and mood. He likes unobtrusive sounds and calm melodies, but the child does not like sharp screams and loud music. While in the womb of the mother, the child best perceives low-frequency sounds, for example, male voices. Therefore, it is very important that not only the expectant mother, but also the father communicates with the baby during pregnancy.

Features of hearing of a newborn

During the first 2-3 days of life, while there is fluid in the baby's inner ear, he hears practically nothing. Subsequently, hearing develops intensively, and at the 4th week of life the child begins to distinguish some sounds, and from 9-12 weeks - to determine where they are coming from. By the way, a newborn hears equally both during sleep and during wakefulness.
Many parents mistakenly believe that a child needs complete silence while sleeping. In fact, the fetus continuously heard the noise of the mother’s “working” organs, including the beating of the heart. Therefore, newborns do not need complete silence and calm down much faster when clinging to their mother’s chest.

How does the baby react to sounds?

Normally, babies are extremely sensitive to the external environment. Loud, sharp and even quite calm, but unexpected sounds can cause a convulsive reaction in them, which does not at all indicate any inadequacy. On the contrary, it indicates normal hearing development in the child.

Over time, the child gets used to the sounds around him and no longer reacts to them so sharply. By the second month of life, the baby demonstrates a clear reaction to the rate of speech, and his convulsive reactions are replaced by orderly ones. At this stage of development, the newborn enjoys listening to calm conversational speech, from time to time trying to find the source of the voice with his eyes. To develop your baby’s hearing, read him children’s fairy tales and poems more often, play rhythmic songs, talk to him more and share your impressions about the world around him.

The moment in development when a newborn begins to hear sounds is often considered a paradoxical phenomenon. Some believe that hearing begins to develop already in the third month of pregnancy. Others believe that the baby is able to hear voices only in the fourth month of pregnancy.

What time do newborns begin to hear their first sounds?

During the first days of his life outside the mother's womb, the baby does not hear sounds well enough. It is difficult to wake him up with any noise. Such “hearing loss” is a temporary phenomenon. As soon as the tympanic cavity in the baby’s ears is free of amniotic fluid, his hearing will become much better. But it is worth knowing that the hearing of a baby in the first year of life cannot be called perfect, since the development of the auditory nerve does not occur in one day.

So, when does a baby begin to hear the voices of mom and dad? The newborn human “remembered” his mother’s voice from the time of his intrauterine development. And after birth, the child quickly recognizes the voice of his parent and even knows how to distinguish the intonation of her voice (affectionate or stern).

In order for a newborn baby to learn to focus on auditory sensations, his parents, especially his mother, should “talk” with him as often as possible. And in order for the baby to learn to recognize the position of the primary source of sound in space, it is necessary to talk to him while moving around the room.

How do newborn babies hear during the first days after birth?

Speed of speech. A newborn baby begins to express himself more energetically if the speech directed towards him speeds up. On the contrary, a quiet, measured conversation makes it possible to quickly calm down.
Timbre. Intonation is also extremely important for the baby. A high-pitched, high-pitched voice can frighten a child and make him cry. The gentle peculiarity of communication that the baby feels will bring him a good mood and the joy of maternal closeness.

How to understand and find out what sounds your baby hears?

All newborns hear sounds mainly of a higher pitch. Therefore, it is advisable for a very young child to turn on music that sounds melodiously:

flute
bells.

To this music, the newborn’s breathing will adjust to the rhythm of the heart and normalize. The musical works of Vivaldi and Mozart also have a positive effect on the baby.

This melody reproduces biological rhythms and also induces a state of both joy and happiness in the baby. Psychologists have noted that if you turn on Vivaldi’s “Night,” the baby will calm down and may even fall asleep. Since this melody corresponds to the rhythms of the brain and stimulates the body to rest. Therefore, calm music is one of the positive aspects in the development of a newborn.

It is important to know! Infants and children under 3 years of age are prohibited from wearing headphones or even sitting closer than 1 meter from TV-video + audio equipment! Due to the special structure of the auricle, headphones and loud sounds can damage the eardrum.

Methods for testing hearing in an infant

Another exciting question is how to test a newborn’s hearing? At home, rattles, bells, musical instruments, metal and wooden spoons, rustling pieces of paper, any cracking boxes, and so on are suitable for sound games with a month-old baby. Of course, immediately the “orchestra” is redundant. New “tools” should be introduced gradually as the baby gets used to the “material covered.” Slowly move bright and sounding toys in all directions (left-right, down-up, closer-further, and also at different paces).

If your child is distracted, do something else, and then return to your activities again, adjusting the pace depending on the baby's reaction. Remember that when a child begins to hear voices, he is constantly learning about the space around him. It is desirable that this endless process of learning be, if possible, always colored with positive emotions.

The full mental development of a child is impossible without the deep development of musical hearing. Newborn toddlers willingly listen to music, preferring melodic and calm: it can be instrumental or vocal, classical or modern music, folk songs, and, of course, children's songs - nursery rhymes, songs from cartoons and lullabies - occupy a special place in this series. When the baby is awake, soft and unobtrusive music may be played in his room.

Experts say that the development of musical hearing in newborns is facilitated by “intellectual” music (choral, symphonic, opera), and not monotonous disco “music for feet.”

Why does a newborn have difficulty hearing sounds and voices, which can lead to hearing loss?

According to statistics, the number of children with hearing impairments is increasing. There are a huge number of reasons for this:

Bad genetics. If the father and mother, or other relatives of the baby suffered from hearing impairment, then in 50% the baby inherits this and begins to hear sounds very poorly.
Smoking, drinking alcoholic beverages during pregnancy. Even small doses of alcohol can cause hearing loss in a child. The same goes for cigarettes.
Use of medications.
Quick or, on the contrary, prolonged labor, the use of gynecological forceps.

Watch a video on the topic of publication:

When a newborn is healthy, he is able not only to learn to hear sounds, but also begins to distinguish, divide them into favorites and not. In addition, if your baby is carried away by his favorite toy, he may not hear anything around him. This is natural and there is no need to be afraid of it.

During pregnancy, a woman often talks to her unborn baby and reads fairy tales to him. The expectant mother tries to listen to pleasant music - after all, the baby hears everything! Already in the maternity hospital, when the child is born and sleeps sweetly in the crib, the mother tries not to make noise and not disturb his sleep. And doctors are not afraid to talk loudly in the room, saying that the baby does not yet perceive sounds. Who is right? Can a newborn baby hear?

How hearing is formed before birth

Children begin to hear surrounding sounds in the womb: at the 17th week of pregnancy - in general terms, and already from the 27th week they are aware of them and clearly perceive them.

Stages of hearing formation:

5 weeks - the rudiments of the inner ear are formed.
8 weeks - the structure of the middle ear is formed.
Up to 4-5 months, the formation of the ear labyrinth occurs, then it begins to harden (hardening of the auditory ossicles continues almost until the baby is born).
After 6 months, the auricle (outer ear) is formed, and its cartilage tissue hardens closer to childbirth.

In the womb at the age of 17 weeks, the baby can hear the beat of the mother’s heart, her voice, and intestinal peristalsis. It picks up vibrations of sound waves. And from about the end of the second trimester (from 27 weeks), the baby can analyze sounds and clearly perceive them. In addition, he can even turn the head in the direction of the sound he hears.

Features of hearing in children after birth

Can a newborn baby hear in the first days of life? Yes, he hears. After birth, the baby is bombarded with many sounds, which cause the baby considerable discomfort. Every loud sound will make the baby flinch (this is a reflex).

From the first weeks, intonation will be important for the baby, not the meaning of what is said. By the end of 1 month, the baby will be able to distinguish between familiar sounds (the voice of mom and dad, close relatives, the meowing of a four-legged pet, the ticking of a clock in the room) and unfamiliar ones (the voices of strangers, the sounds of new household appliances). He treats familiar sounds calmly, but he treats unfamiliar sounds with caution and caution. Now many parents know whether newborn babies can hear at 1 month.

Closer to 3 months, synchronization of the speech and auditory centers occurs. In response to a familiar, pleasant sound, the baby may clasp its arms and begin to “walk.” By 6 months, babies respond to their own name and can detect which direction the sound is coming from.

Baby's reaction to sounds

Let's consider whether newborn babies hear sounds. What exactly are they paying attention to? Babies can already perceive the following:

The pace of your speech.
Changing voice timbre.
Intonation.
Other sounds. For example, the sound of a rattle.

How can you tell if a newborn baby can hear? To do this, you need to observe his reaction:

freezing or flinching when new sounds appear;
crying in response to a loud, harsh or unexpected sound;
splashing arms and kicking legs;
listening;
search for a sound stimulus with the eyes.

If you have observed a similar reaction from your baby more than once, it means that he hears everything perfectly. If in a dream the baby does not react to some sounds, then they simply do not irritate and disturb him.

How to help a child develop auditory perception?

The main task of parents is to help their newborn baby adapt to the new world. To develop auditory perception, you need to talk to your baby more often, let him listen to sounds of different tones, music (preferably classical). Very sharp and loud sounds, as well as absolute silence, should be avoided.

Every day you need to do gymnastics, massage, and bathe your baby. Each of the actions should be accompanied by conversations with the child. You can read him poems, jokes, and hum lullabies before bed. This way the baby will begin to pick up intonation notes and learn to perceive words. And you won't ask about how to determine whether a newborn baby can hear. Everything will be clear and so.

How to care for baby ears

The little man is defenseless in a big and new world for him. It requires a careful and careful attitude. Any careless action when caring for a baby's ears can disrupt the eardrum and damage hearing.

Basic rules of care:

Clean the ears once a week (after your baby has been bathed).
Do not use cotton swabs, they can be harmful.
Roll small cotton balls and use them to remove wax. Wipe the ear with a napkin.
Keep an eye on the folds behind the ears; they can dry out and crack, causing discomfort for your baby. Lubricate the folds with baby oils or creams.

How to check if a newborn baby can hear

Sometimes it may turn out that the baby has a hearing impairment: hearing loss or deafness. We can talk about this if he does not react in any way to a sharp sound (does not get scared, does not close his eyes or does not flinch).

If a three-month-old baby does not react to the ringing of rattles or a voice addressed to him, then this is a reason to contact a specialist. Sometimes it happens that a child has some degree of hearing loss. Some babies cannot hear high frequencies, but perceive only low and medium ones. Try one experiment. Pour some semolina into a metal or glass jar. Shake the jar over the child's head so that the semolina makes a sound. If the baby reacts to the sound of semolina, then everything is fine with his hearing. This is one of the effective ways to understand whether a newborn baby can hear.

The risk group for hearing diseases includes children of mothers:

have had measles, rubella or influenza during pregnancy (especially if it was in the early stages, when the fetus’s hearing organs are just developing);
those who gave birth later or earlier than expected;
have used drugs or alcohol;
who worked in hazardous industries (where they breathed toxic substances).

In order to promptly notice and prevent possible hearing abnormalities in a child, it is necessary to undergo regular medical examinations (mandatory scheduled):

When the baby is 1 month old. At this age, his auditory reflexes will be examined during his examination.
6 months. Babies born prematurely (premature) are advised to have a second medical examination at 3 months.
1 year. During the medical examination, the baby will be carefully examined by an ENT specialist and other specialists. The doctor will prescribe treatment (if necessary) or issue a referral for further examination.

Who has hearing problems?

Mainly, hearing problems affect the following categories of children:

premature babies;
children with ischemic brain damage;
those who suffered acute hypoxia during childbirth;
babies born from a pregnancy in which the rhesus of the child and mother were in conflict;
children whose older generation had relatives with hearing loss or deafness.

When is it necessary to show your baby to an ENT specialist?

The sooner loving parents understand whether a newborn child can hear or not, the more effective the treatment will be and the greater the chance of hearing restoration. Be sure to show your child to the doctor if:

Baby's age	Signs of violations
	while awake, does not respond to loud, sharp sounds, does not listen to the familiar voice of father and mother

	does not “boom”, does not turn towards the sound, does not pay attention to the singing of a musical toy
5 months	does not react with joyful babble to the appearance of mom and dad
6 months	if, when the rumble of a falling object (or other sharp sound) while awake, the baby does not begin to roar or does not open his eyes wide
10 months	does not try to pronounce some sounds
	does not respond to parents’ requests, does not fulfill them
	the child does not pronounce certain phrases and words

All babies are different and it is impossible to fit each one to medical standards. Some children are sometimes so carried away by the game that they do not notice what is happening around them. If you notice any signs of abnormalities in your child, there is no reason to despair, just go to the doctor to get checked. An experienced specialist will find out whether the newborn baby can hear, help with advice or prescribe treatment.

The most important thing is to love your baby. Read him more fairy tales, poems, sing songs. When talking, try to use different intonations, try talking to the baby in a whisper. Place the main emphasis not on the quantity of communication, but on its quality. Sooner or later your dear baby will speak.

The birth of a new family member is a great happiness for young parents. Very often, mothers and fathers think about when a newborn begins to hear and see. Not all parents know about the peculiarities of vision and hearing development in a child after birth, and this is very important. Everything appears gradually.

When a newborn is taken home from the maternity ward, the most exciting time begins, although often very difficult. A young mother faces enormous responsibility, because she is entrusted with the care and maintenance of the baby. Parents are visited by vague thoughts when the baby does not respond to a voice or light. They worry that the child does not hear or see anything. However, doctors do not advise worrying unnecessarily.

In fact, the baby begins to hear while in his mother’s belly, so it is recommended to talk to him even before birth. Once born, the baby already knows its mother’s voice. In the first month of life, many parents worry that their child has poor hearing, since he can sleep peacefully with the TV on and is not woken up by conversations or loud music. Because of this, mothers and fathers often ask doctors when a newborn begins to hear and see.

In nature, everything is so calculated that sometimes inexplicable things happen. A little man, while in the womb, becomes so accustomed to his environment within 9 months that if after birth he heard and saw everything on a par with adults, he would become stressed. Because of this, everything happens slowly: during the first weeks of life, the baby’s hearing and vision gradually improve.

In the first days after birth, the baby shows a visible reaction to loud sounds. If you make noise with a rattle next to him, he will definitely show his interest.

All this indicates that everything is fine with the child, he hears well. Hearing is usually checked in the first days after birth in the maternity hospital, so young mothers can sleep peacefully and not worry. If a newborn reacts to an extraneous sound by crying, there is no need to panic either. Most likely, he was scared because he is very sensitive to loud or sharp sounds.

It is very important to talk to the baby and sing songs to him. You should not leave it in a room with the TV on, as constant noise causes overwork in the child. It is necessary to talk in a calm voice and avoid screaming near the baby. This is very important, because when the baby begins to hear and see, there should be a calm and peaceful environment around him.

“The baby begins to fully perceive external sounds normally at the age of three months. He consciously turns his head towards the noise and carefully monitors the situation, trying to catch everything that is happening around him. At this stage, the baby fully recognizes its mother’s voice.”

The world through the eyes of a baby

When newborn babies begin to see and hear, all mothers should know. While in the maternity hospital, doctors check the baby's vision. Special devices are used to determine the baby's pupil reaction to bright light. A newborn is not able to see this huge world for him in bright colors. In the first month of his life, he sees everything in blurry colors and is able to distinguish only light and dark.

Sometimes it is difficult for a baby to open his eyes, because birth is a lot of stress for his body. Bright colors and light are unusual for him and only gradually will he gain good vision. The mother should take all this into account and not worry about when the newborn begins to see normally. In the first month of his life, the little man looks at this world especially:

he cannot consciously hold his gaze on anything for more than 5 seconds;
infants cannot see with both eyes at once, so they often squint, which is quite normal;
Only by the end of the first month does the newborn begin to fix his gaze on brightly colored objects; during this period it is recommended to hang bedside rattles at a distance of 30 cm.

“There is nothing more interesting than watching a baby. He needs the help of adults, his vision needs to be developed and this should be done correctly.”

Exercises for developing vision

Contact between mother and child is extremely important from the first days of life. It is a proven fact that the baby, while in the womb, gets used to the mother’s voice and after birth easily recognizes it from thousands of others. To improve the vision of a small family member, you need to do simple exercises: