Babies this age are honing all five senses, understanding and learning more and
more from what they see, hear, and feel.
What Can My Baby See?
Babies this age can see
much farther away (several feet or more) than just a few months ago. They usually
can focus without going cross-eyed and can tell the difference between different colors.
Your baby is becoming much more aware of the environment. He or she can now follow
the course of a rolling ball and watch the quick movements of an older sibling playing
nearby. You may see your baby staring in concentration while holding a toy or studying
his or her own hands. Hand-eye
coordination is improving, so watch as your little one stares for a while at an
object, then slowly reaches out to get it.
Help improve your baby's sight skills with these tips:
- If your baby has been looking at the same toys or crib mobile for several months,
now is a good time to change the scenery. At around 5 or 6 months
of age, most babies start to pull themselves up to a sitting position, so if you have
a mobile over the crib or wall hangings within reach, remove them so your baby doesn't
get hurt.
- Babies this age enjoy more complex patterns and color variations. Try reading
books with large, brightly colored pictures to your
baby, who will enjoy staring at the pages.
- Stimulate your baby's vision with trips out into the world. Walks
in the neighborhood, a trip to the supermarket, or an outing to the local zoo all
provide wonderful opportunities for your baby to see new things.
What Can My Baby Hear?
Hearing is crucial to developing the ability to talk, and now your baby is beginning
to pick out the parts of speech.
When younger, your baby understood your meaning through the tone of your voice:
soothing tones made your baby stop crying; agitated tones meant something was wrong.
Now, your baby can hear and pick up on the different sounds you make and the way words
form sentences. In the next few months, your baby will respond to "no" and recognize
and respond to his or her own name.
Babies this age also are cooing and may start to babble
and make more attempts to imitate sounds. Make no mistake, these are your baby's early
attempts at speaking and should be encouraged as much as possible. So repeat sounds
you hear your baby making and introduce simple words that apply to everyday life.
Have "conversations" with your baby and wait for a pause in the babble to "answer."
The give-and-take of these early discussions sets the stage for your baby's first
real words.
First Tastes
Your doctor may suggest the addition of solid foods to your
baby's diet around this time. If so, introduce one new item at a time and wait
several days before trying something else new. This will help you pinpoint any food
allergies that may happen, and also discover which tastes your baby likes best.
While babies naturally favor sweet tastes, you'll want your baby to be exposed
to a variety of foods. It may take several tries before your baby starts to enjoy
a new food, so don't give up after the first or second attempt if he or she doesn't
seem to like it.
Why Is Touch Important?
Babies learn about the world through touch. When you cuddle or kiss your baby,
your baby learns that he or she is safe, secure, and loved. When your baby feels a
cool breeze on the cheek, he or she learns about the environment.
The opportunities for exercising your baby's sense of touch at this age are endless,
even during the course of a regular day. Your baby will enjoy toys and books with
different textures. See if your baby likes to touch the silky trim of the baby blanket,
or feel the texture of a carpet. Let him or her safely explore surroundings.
Don't forget how important the feel of a gentle caress or a tender kiss is, and
hold your baby when you are able.
If You're Worried
In the next few months, your baby should be responding to more and more sights
and sounds. Talk to your doctor if your baby doesn't seem to:
- recognize you by sight
- be interested in looking at any new books, toys, or pictures
- have good control of eye motion, or one or both eyes turn in or out consistently
Also speak to your doctor if your baby's eyes seem very sensitive to light or tear
up often. An eye exam may be necessary if you have a family history of eye diseases
or vision problems.
You'll also want to discuss with your doctor any concerns you have about your baby's
hearing. Warning signs of hearing problems to look for include:
- no response to sound (for example, doesn't turn in direction of loud noise)
- response to only some sounds, not all (some children can hear certain pitches,
some hear in only one ear)
- does not smile or coo
When caught early, many vision and hearing problems can be treated successfully,
so be sure to report any concerns you have to your doctor.
Date reviewed: December 2017