Is Your Baby Doing Enough?

Each baby grows and develops at his own rate. Some babies seem to be born talkers, while others are the movers. Some babies develop slowly in all areas. By respecting what is special, parents can help children develop at their own pace.

If you are concerned that your baby may be developing too slowly in some area, talk to your doctor.

Use the checklists from this month's newsletter and the past month's. Is your baby doing anything now that he wasn’t doing last month? Look for your baby’s growth in each area, and gently help him to learn new things. Use your baby’s due date, rather than the birth date, for keeping track of how your baby is developing.

Ask a friend who knows what infants are like to observe your baby and to help you decide if he really is or is not doing the activities listed. Take notes and date them. In a few days, ask another person who knows what infants are like to watch what your baby does. Again, keep notes. Compare the notes.

Write down your concerns. Show your doctor the list of concerns and the notes you took while watching your baby. Ask the doctor's office to make a copy of this information and add it to your child's file. Keep your set of notes where you keep your child's other health information.

Learning to Talk Helps Your Baby’s Brain Grow

• Be at your baby’s eye level. Get down to where you meet your baby's eyes or prop her up safely in an infant seat to make eye contact.

• Look into your baby’s eyes and talk to her. Repeat the sounds she makes. The two of you can play verbal pingpong. Your baby makes a sound. Then you make the same sound. Keep going back and forth.

• Each child will “talk” in different ways. Your job is to decipher your baby’s special ways of trying to talk to you. When you respond back to your baby, you help her refine her emerging language skills.

• Let your baby join in household activities. Tell her what you are doing. Let her see what's happening. Talk to her in complete sentences. For example: "After I fold these clothes, we're going to take a walk." When you label what is happening, you help your baby connect words with actions and feelings.

• Your baby doesn't use words yet, but she will understand the universal language called body language. You can tell your baby you love her by giving her a hug, singing her a song, or gently rocking her to music. You will find that she talks back by using her body. She will give you a smile, a giggle, a coo, a hearty chuckle, or a wiggle.

• Use both words and body language to tell your baby you care. She will learn to value the good things that happen when people enjoy talking to each other.

Good language skills help wire your baby’s brain in the most powerful way. Language skills are the key to social and emotional well-being as well as school success.