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Child Development |
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Infants
(0-1 year old)
Español
(Spanish)
Developmental Milestones
Cognitive development for your baby means the learning process of memory,
language, thinking and reasoning. Your baby is learning to recognize the
sound of your voice. She is also learning to focus her vision from the
periphery or the corner of her eyes to the center. Language development
is more than uttering sounds (“babble”), or mama/dada. |
Positive Parenting
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Talk to your baby. It is soothing to hear your voice.
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When your baby makes sounds, answer him by repeating and adding words. This
will help him learn to use language.
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Read to your baby. This helps her develop and understand language and
sounds.
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Sing to your baby.
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Play music. This helps your baby develop a love for music and math.
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Praise your baby and give him lots of loving attention.
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Spend time cuddling and holding your baby. This helps her feel cared for
and secure.
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The best time to play with your baby is when he’s alert and relaxed. Watch
your baby closely for signs of being tired or fussy so that you can take
a break.
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Parenting can be hard work! Take care of yourself physically, mentally, and
emotionally. It is easier to enjoy your new baby and be a positive,
loving parent when you are feeling good yourself.
Child Safety First
Now that your newborn is at home, it is time to make sure that your home is
a safe place. Look around your home for household items that might
present a possible danger to your baby. As a parent, it is your
responsibility to ensure that you create a safe environment for your
baby. It is also important that you take the necessary steps to make
sure that you are mentally and emotionally ready for your new baby. Here
are a few tips to keep your baby safe during her first year of life.
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It is important that you never shake your newborn baby. Newborn babies have
very weak neck muscles that are not yet able to support their heads. If
you shake your baby you can damage his brain and delay normal
development.
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To prevent SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), it is recommended that you
always put your baby to sleep on her back. For more information on SIDS,
visit National
Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
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Place your baby in a car safety seat every time he rides in the car. The
safest place for his safety seat is in the back seat of the car.
Children who are less than one year OR are less than 20 pounds should be
placed in a rear-facing care seat.
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To prevent your baby from choking, cut her food into small bites. Don’t
allow your baby to play with anything that may cover her face or is easy
for her to swallow.
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Never carry hot liquids or food near your baby or while holding him.
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Immunizations (shots) are important to protect your child’s health and
safety. Because children are susceptible to many potentially serious
diseases, it is important that your child receive the proper
immunizations. Please consult your local health care provider to ensure
that your child is up-to-date on her childhood immunizations. You may
visit the
CDC
immunization website, to obtain a copy of the recommended
immunization schedule for U.S. children
[Return to Top]
Date: September 20,
2005
Content source: National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental
Disabilities
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