A child playing with toys. [Photo/gstatic.com]
There are so many changes that happen in an infant’s life during the first year. The brain of a baby starts developing immediately after birth affecting how they reason and respond to activity. At one month two weeks, the bones of a baby’s head, which are usually soft at birth, begin to join and grow.
During the first two months, a baby’s eyes can focus on things that are near, recognize certain smells such as that of breastmilk and can tell the mother’s voice. Initially, a child vision is in black and white, but by the time they are three months they begin recognizing colors. Babies start forming emotional attachments when they are six months old.
At this point, the baby has started forming a strong bond with the mother. They will begin recognizing familiar faces and be smiling at them and being scared of those that they do not know.
The child’s ability to process language information is developing at six months. Babies begin to make sounds as a way of communicating. On the other hand, proper nutrition is important in promoting a child’s brain development.
It’s advisable that babies are exclusively breastfed for the first six months. Patiently teaching a child and making time to play with them promotes their intellectual development. Toys are, especially effective in helping infants learn.
A lot of love and attention play a big role in helping infants develop social connections. Reading bedtime stories and talking to children helps them to develop language skills.
It can be overwhelming and exciting for a parent to see the numerous cognitive, behavioral and social changes a baby makes before their first birthday. It’s important to note that all changes in the initial stages of a child’s life have effects that can last a lifetime.