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During last July’s 5.8 earthquake, 3-year-old Bronwyn told her 1-year-old sister, “We’re going for a wiggle.” READ MORE
First Years (0-2)
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Wouldn’t it just be easier if babies could talk as soon as they were born? Instead of turning up his nose in disgust at the baby food jar, your 6-month-old son would tell you, “Skip the pureed peas next time, I liked the crushed peaches better.” Or, instead of clutching your legs with all her strength, your 1-year-old would tell you she’s scared or anxious and needs some reassurance from holding on to you. And your 18-month old could just say, “I’m tired, it’s nap time,” instead of crying or squirming around for an hour. Babies have a unique way of expressing themselves with body language. We all know babies cry a lot, and crying is a powerful communication tool, but understanding your baby’s unique body language and gestures can help you figure out what your child wants and how he feels. “You tune into your own baby and your own child. Each child may have his own set of moods or responses to let you know something is going on,” says Dr. Stefan Orr, a 27-pediatrician in Corona. “Look around and see what’s going on. Look at what he’s doing. More times than not if a baby is secure and feels comfortable, he’s exploring.” Infants have fewer methods of communication than older babies, but a few cues remain constant. Young babies have an instinctive reaction called the Startle Reflex. This is when they open their eyes wide, arch their backs and flex their fingers and toes. They may display this reflex when they are startled or scared by a loud noise or bright light, or if they feel like they are falling. This can also indicate pain somewhere in the body. Your baby’s hands and legs can also speak for him. Newborns often have tightly clenched hands, but after the first few weeks their hands will loosen up and relax when baby is relaxed. And if she pulls up her legs tightly to her abdomen, this is likely a sign of abdominal pain. Dr. Orr explains that scrunching up the legs helps to relax the stomach muscles. “If you see a baby shaking or shivering or he stiffens and clenches his hands, he might be nervous about something,” Dr. Orr says. If your baby turns his head away from you and avoids eye contact, this can mean many things. A child who avoids eye contact may be overstimulated or uncomfortable, especially if he furrows his brow. But Dr. Orr says many feel comfortable and simply look away to examine the rest of the world. “They’re curious, so don’t take it personally. A child’s attention span is very short. If he feels safe with you, he’ll go ahead and explore some more.” When your baby lifts her arms toward you, at the age of 10 months to a year, this is almost a certain sign she wants you to pick her up. My son used to do this all the time, and he continued to put his hands up to me long after he learned the words for what he wanted: “up,” and “carry.” Here are some other tips on reading body language, offered by Dr. Alice Sterling Honig, professor emeritus of child development at Syracuse University in New York: By the age of 9 or 10 months, she will express pleasure in getting to know you by poking fingers in your mouth, pulling at your eyeglasses, or yanking your hair. Watch your ears if you wear earrings. My son loved to fiddle with my earrings, no matter whether they were small studs or dangling loops, and sometimes he yanked on them a little too hard. “They’re exploring. They want to see whether or not, ‘does this come off?’” Dr. Orr says. Around this age or earlier, your baby will place a toy in your hand so you can make it work. He understands cause and effect and can initiate play directly. Your baby will point his finger to draw your attention to something. By one year, she will wave “bye-bye” in response to your verbal request. While older babies and toddlers will use some words to communicate, they will still use gestures too, such as crawling to you for affection or rubbing their eyes when they’re tired. Of course, there’s no mistaking the meaning of one gesture that all parents love - a big hug! Longtime journalist Amy Bentley recently moved to Temecula with her family. |
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