Looking After healthy Babies...

Monday, May 5, 2008

Baby's Development

Before starting to talk about the baby's development is importan to know what was he's Apgar score, but What is Apgar? Apgar is a test to check how well the baby is at the moment he was born, and his future potentials.This test rate the muscular tone (how soft or how tough his
muscles are) his reflex, the color of his skin, if he cried at the moment he was born etc, scores from 8 to 10 are showing that the baby is perfectly fine, scores from 5 to 7 shows some concern and it would be a good idea to take the baby to special programs of early stimulation, if the
baby's score is under 5, you should take the baby to an specialist as soon as possible. Be sure to give the baby a warm and secure enviroment, give him lots of love, make him listen to soft and relaxing music or sing for him, he enjoys listening to your voice, never get upset with him just remember he is only a baby and he counts on you to make it to the future.
Now we'll learn a bit about the baby's development month by month, his first days of his live he sleeps a lot, almost all the time, his only food is mom's milk or formula, and his movements are all reflex.
From 1 to 2 months:
Move his body with smooth and more control movements. Can take his chin up for a few seconds while he is face down. Has the palm grasp reflex ("hold"everything you place on his hand) Can follow with his eyes some objects in movement. Explore his arounds with his eyes. Move his head towards some sounds. His crying became more meaninfull, cries when is hungry,
when feels uncomfortable or when is scared. Cries if he is left alone, and stop if you pick him up. Make some specific noises when is happy. Can keep visual contact. He can soothe in front of a human face. He has a nice response when is hold. Can socially smile in front of familiar faces or voices specially his mom's.

From 2 to 3 months:
Has improved his smooth movements. Raise his chin for moments when he is face down. Control his head when you pick him up or is sitting with support. Discover his hands and fingers. Has more control of his body.Can start to sleep through the night.Can hit objects with his body. Follows objects moving his head from side to side. Better focus with his eyes but not more than 30 cm. Prefers colorful and bright objects. Cries less frecuently. Stutter, says gu gu, agu. He knows the difference between a masculine and feminine voice. Knows the difference between a friendly voice and an angry voice. Shows emotions like happiness, fearness etc. Shows discomfort when an adult leave him alone. Gets soothe when is hold, pick up, or if someone talk to
him.Answers to his mom's voice more than anybody's else. Smiles more frecuently to people who are near his mom. He has to feel first an object and then he'll accept it like a real one.

From 3 to 4 months:
the baby is alert, active and friendly. If he is lying on his side he can turn face down, can rotate from side to side.Can sit with support. Hold objects for a short period of time. Try to reach objects. Enjoys to touch objects. Keeps his head firm and straight. Can sleep throught the night. Smiles, babble and move to express pleasure. Laugh hard. Make one syllable sounds. Cries less than when he was 2 months. Cries differently when his mom leave him. Cries when left alone, usually stop crying when he sees and adult. Fascinated with new objects and activities.Very friendly with his mom and familiar people. If someone he knows smiles at him he answers smiling too. Can cry if someone he doesn't know picks him up. Keeps good visual contact with adults.Shows curiosity to his enviroment.

From 4 to 5 months:
The baby is active, playful and sociable. Turn from side to side. Elevate his chest supporting on his hands, when his face down. Sits with support for longer periods of time. Kicks strongly.Try to hold objects. Hold objects. Make noises with a rattle when one is place in his hand. Lead everything to his hands, so we need to be careful, don't leave anything dangerous, like plastics bags, o metal
things near him. Studies carefully everything that is place in his hands. He should sleep through the night.Focus clear with his eyes. Recognize his bolttle and is glad when he sees it's full. Is fascinated with his image in the mirror.Turn his head towards a familiar human voice.Smile and babbles when someone talks to him. Smiles and move when he plays and socialize with others. Looks for atention. Is interesting for everything that happens in his enviroment.Start to know that objects are real even if he doesn't touch it

.From 5 to 6 months:
Turn from face down to face up and viceversa. Raise his head very high when he is face down. Move very well his head from side to side. Sit without support for a few seconds. Hold objects but not so strongly. Can hold objects with both hands. Start to hold a cup. Plays with a rattle. Touch everything, and takes everything to his mouth. Teeth start to appear. Rise his hands to be pick up. Try to repeat and enjoyable event. Smile and babble to whom he knows. The baby shows fear, anger and frustration. Shows fear to strangers. Recognizes his parents and himself in the mirror.
From 6 to 9 months:
The baby rest on his elbows, can sit by himself for 30 seconds. Can reach objects with one hand. Pass objects from one hand to another. Start movements that will help him creep. Can hold objects between his thumb and index. Enjoys playing with rattles, balls and toys that makes
noises. Sleeps through the night. Enjoys playing with his food. Babble and make noises of one syllabe. Can recognize his name, and shows suddenly changes of moods. Great conexion with his mom. Shows conexion with dad, siblings and familiar people. Distinguish children from adults. Smile to other children. Shows fear to strangers. Turn face up from face down, start to creep. Sits by himself. Holds objects with both hands. Hold his weight with support while standing. Can show preference in the use of one of his hands.
Enjoys hitting and throwing objects. Start to repeat syllabes like ma ma da da mu mu. Can recognize his name, looks for atention. Start to understand the meaning of "no" for the tone of
voice. Watch the mouth of adults when they talk to him. Can shows sense of humor, can react strongly to strangers. Start to crowl. Try to stand up. Try to eat by himself. Understand the meaning of no, understand other words and simple orders. Enjoys games like cover and show the face.

No comments: