If you’ve ever wondered how an infant sees the world, you’re not alone. Recently, scientists in Sweden and Norway attempted to answer the question by producing moving images of adult faces expressing different emotions and filtering out any visual information that newborn infants can’t process. What they filtered out, they based on previous studies that indicated how infants perceive visual cues, such as structure, spacing, contrast, etc.
“We have for many years known that newborn babies have poor eyesight, they do not discriminate colors and that [they] have very low visual acuity,” Dr. Svein Magnussen, professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Oslo in Norway and co-author of the study, said in an email to The Huffington Post. “We now know that newborn infants may be able to see and possibly react to human faces and human facial expressions. That has been a debate in development psychology.”
With the study, the researchers discovered that infants as young as two days old could already distinguish their parent’s expressions at about 30 centimeters distance—about the same length between a breastfeeding mother and her nursing baby.
“Our position is: Now a piece of the foundation is in place. If anyone else wants to follow up, that’s up to them,” Magnussen said, in conclusion to the study.
Protecting Your Child’s Vision
Healthy eyes and vision are a critical part of a newborn’s development. The eyes should be examined regularly, as many vision problems and eye diseases can be detected and treated early. During your scheduled well-baby visits, your baby’s pediatrician will check his/her eyes for problems, just as she examines his/her ears, breathing, heart, and back, to make sure your baby is in the best of health.
In Case of a Problem
If the pediatrician identifies a problem with your baby’s eyes, such as a minor infection, she’ll be able to treat it. However, for more serious issues, she will likely refer your child to a medical eye specialist. Referrals will also be called for if your pediatrician detects any sign of vision troubles (such as a cross-eye, wall-eye, etc.) or if you have a family history of eye problems.
Caring for and Monitoring Your Baby’s Eyes and Vision
Between regular checkups, observe your baby’s developing vision at home. If you notice something out of the ordinary, have it checked by a pediatrician in Lone Tree that you can trust, such as Lone Tree Pediatrics.
Sources:
Here’s How A Newborn Baby Sees The World, Huffington Post,
Your Child’s Vision, KidsHealth.org
About Debra Berry
