Newborn
- Can see color variations and contrasting colors up close, but with fewer lines and textures than ours
- Can't distinguish between pastel colors or two similiar colors
- Sensitive to light
- Visual regard for environment
- Random eye movements
- Monocular vision
- Eyes move together with head
- Track in small ranges from periphery to midline (out to in)
1 Month
- Alternating monocular fixation on hand or moving, large target w/in 10 inches (25.4cm)
- Slow, jerky tracking from periphery to midline
2 Months
- Beginning binocular fixation (overlapping field of view)
- Tracks slightly past midline with head rotation
- Beginning vertical tracking
3 Months
- Observes the hand
- Improved binocular fixation
- Tracking horizontally through 180 degrees eyes and head together
- Shifts glance between two targets
- Can distinguish between pastel colors
4 Months
- Visually directed reach and grasp
- Eyes begin to move independently from head
- Visually fixates on nearly objects longer
- Briefly fixates on object further spatial fields
- Begins to scan 3 or more objects, may lose fixation in the process
5 Months
- Sees objects and reaches for it: eyes and hand establish partnership
- Improved horizontal, vertical, circular tracking
- Can scan 3 or more objects with more consistent fixation
6 Months
- Eyes move independently from head
- Consistent binocular fixation at all distances
- Accurate and consistent tracking in all directions
- Shifts gaze easily to scan several objects
- Shifts gaze easily from one distance to another
- Fully developed visual control
Compiled from Developmental Visual Dysfunction: Models of Assessment and Management by Rhoda Priest Erhardt , Normal Development of Functional Motor Skills: The First Year of Life by R. Alexamder, R. Boehme, B. Cupps & Arlene Drack, M.D. chief of pediatric ophthalmology at the Children's Hospital in Denver (featured in BabyTalk Magazine, March 2006).
Success Through Play:
Research has shown that newborn babies demonstrate a distinct visual preference for human faces and eye contact, as early as a few days of life. Your face is a "natural toy" so don't forget to use it! Using make-up to highlight your eyes and lips. Ensure that you are well lit, and that what you are wearing, contrasts with your background. For example a parent wearing a white T-shirt situated against a light background would not provide a great enough contrast.
Stay tuned for Activities for Hand & Visual Development
4 comments:
Very interesting yet again. I had never considered the idea that my clothing and background contrast would be such an important issue to a childs' perceptions. This reminds me of how one might compose a photograph for best outcome. Now that I understand this, it really makes a lot of sense. In terms of make-up, well my wife might be comfortable but I will have to think of what lipstick works best for my coloring (smile), but will my wife be willing to share her favorite shade...
What a wonderful blog. I tried to post a message before but I can't retrieve it, so I guess something went wrong. The information you provide is very helpful, I think many people (like me) wonder what a baby can see and do at a certain age. Thank you for sharing their world with us!
Thank you for your comments. Sorry about the "missing" comment. I was able to retrieve it. I am still getting used to all the features on blogger and I think that I may have inadvertently clicked on the "hide comments" option. Thank you for alerting me.
This list is SO helpful. I appreciate you listing a range along with percentages.....I want to be pro-active in tracking my daughters milestones without freaking out. This allows me to do just this. I just found your blog. It's terrific.
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