Baby brain boosters
Month 4, week 1
Many foods claim to boost your child's IQ. Will your child be late if
you don't invest in these products? Not at all!
You don't need any special equipment, DVDs or computer programs to teach
your child. In fact, experts advise against screen time for children under 2
years of age.
Instead, you can:
- Talk to your child. Use mature words and describe what you are doing. "It's time for a swim! I'm pouring water into the bath for Ethan! Now let's use soap.
- Read to them. The best "educational toy" you can give your child is a good bookcase. Table books are strong; plastic books can resist the salivation and bites of a child.
- Listen to music together, sing and dance.
- Teach them about texture and noise by giving them different objects they can hold and squeeze, such as cups, keys, soft toys, and smooth fabrics.
Your baby's development this week
At birth, your baby saw the world as if through a thick fog. They could
only focus on objects that were within 20-30 cm of their eyes. But now their
world is becoming sharper and clearer.
Your child's vision develops in several ways:
- Now their eyes should no longer cross. They are well coordinated and can easily track and reach moving objects.
- They like looking at faces more and can follow you 180 degrees. They may even mutter to get your attention when they see you.
- Improves their ability to perceive color. They prefer bright, bold colors over muted pastels that are harder to tell apart.
- Now they can distinguish objects from the background even if they look the same, like a pink button on a pink blouse.
You might wonder about:
- Too many tears. All babies cry, but
if your baby's eyes are watery or crusty, it could indicate a blocked tear duct
or an eye infection. A warm compress may relieve symptoms. If you have a fever
or if you have problems, contact your doctor immediately.
- Using a night light. Is this a good idea
for your child? Finally! Having a nightlight or other dim lamp in her room can
help your child's vision development.
- The eyes of your premature baby. Premature babies are at a higher risk of vision problems than full-term babies, so keep a close eye on your baby's vision development if he was born premature.
- Solid foods. Your pediatrician
should discuss the introduction of solid foods at your 4 month checkup.
Month 4, week 1 tips
- Help your child enjoy the book you read to him while being a boor. Make funny animal voices and sounds to arouse their interest.
- Your baby is not crawling yet, but take care of him in advance. Make sure lower cabinets have locks that store dangerous items such as household cleaners.
- Your child is getting better at sitting, but still needs your support to stand up safely.
- Place gates to protect stairs and doorways from places where your child could fall or get hurt.
- Do not use baby walkers. They may tip over and cause injury. In addition, children using walkers take longer to learn to walk.
- Your child has started to drool. This does not mean that they still have teeth. This means that their saliva changes in preparation for solid food.
- Check your child's car seat
periodically to make sure it's properly installed, especially if you've removed
it for some reason. Your child must always be strapped in, even if you're only
walking a few blocks. If you are borrowing a car seat from a friend or
relative, make sure that the expiration date on the seat is still valid and
that it is in good condition and has not been previously damaged.