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Just like the neural connections that control innate reflexes, the senses are already formed when the baby is born. Some are already sharply active, while others still need to mature, adjusting to the stimuli of the external environment.<\/p>\n
The first sense the fetus develops in the womb is the sense of touch<\/strong>. This is demonstrated by ultrasound images: the baby plays with its hands, feet, and umbilical cord and responds to the mother’s touch on her abdomen (5).<\/p>\n From the very first days of life, the baby explores objects through touch and creates a mental representation of them, to the point that they recognize as familiar those they have already examined (6).<\/p>\n But the sense of touch for a baby is much more than a tool for understanding their surroundings: it is closely connected with the brain centers<\/strong> from which emotions and ancestral mechanisms<\/strong> of social behavior originate. A newborn who frequently experiences skin-to-skin contact with the mother, who is caressed and hugged, feels safe and relaxes their defense mechanisms. Their cortisol levels\u2014the stress hormone\u2014are lower, while serotonin levels, which promote well-being, are higher.<\/p>\n Unlike vision, hearing is already developed and functioning during pregnancy<\/strong>. The fetus can perceive some external sounds (8), including the mother\u2019s and father\u2019s voices, which they learn to recognize. After birth, hearing those familiar voices has a calming effect.<\/p>\n In the first few weeks of life<\/strong>, the baby cannot yet distinguish words from background noise (9). Speaking to them in “baby talk”\u2014with elongated vowels and higher-pitched tones\u2014helps them focus on words and stimulates the development of auditory areas<\/strong> in the brain, which will soon enable them to speak in return.<\/p>\n By around 2 months<\/strong> the baby\u2019s hearing has developed enough to begin distinguishing different tones. By 3\u20134 months<\/strong>, the baby can locate the source of a voice or sound and turn toward it. They also begin to vocalize consonants and vowels. Around 5\u20136 months<\/strong>, they start to understand that some sounds are caused by their own actions\u2014such as dropping objects to hear the noise they make, which often delights them and provokes loud laughter.<\/p>\n To assess whether a baby has healthy hearing, simple stimuli can be used\u2014for example, lightly clapping hands in one direction to get their attention. If the baby turns toward the sound, there are likely no issues. If they don\u2019t respond to any stimuli, it could indicate a hearing problem.<\/p>\n In that case, it is advisable to consult the pediatrician to diagnose and address the issue promptly.<\/p>\n\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/babywellnessfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/3_sviluppo-sensoriale-2.jpg\")
<\/p>\nHearing<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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