Does a newborn baby hear: hearing features in children after birth

A woman during pregnancy often talks with an unborn baby, reads fairy tales to him. The future mother is trying to listen to pleasant music - because the baby hears everything! Already in the hospital, when the child was born and sweetly sleeping in the crib, mom tries not to make noise and not disturb his sleep. But doctors are not afraid to talk loudly in the ward, saying that the baby still does not perceive sounds. Who is right? Does a newborn baby hear?

How is hearing formed before birth?

Children begin to hear ambient sounds even in the womb: at the 17th week of pregnancy - in general terms, and already from the 27th week they are aware of them and clearly perceive.

Hearing stages:

1. 5 weeks - the rudiments of the inner ear are formed.
2. 8 weeks - the structure of the middle ear is formed.
3. Up to 4-5 months, the ear labyrinth forms, then it begins to harden (the hardening of the auditory ossicles continues almost until the baby is born).
4. After 6 months, the auricle (outer ear) is formed, and its cartilage tissue hardens closer to childbirth.

In the womb at the age of 17 weeks, the baby can hear the sound of her mother’s heart, her voice, intestinal motility. It picks up vibrations of sound waves. And from about the end of the second trimester (from the 27th week) the baby can analyze sounds and clearly perceive them. In addition, he can even turn the head in the direction of the heard sound.

Features of hearing in children after birth

Does a newborn baby hear in the early days of life? Yes, he hears. After the birth of the baby, a lot of sounds fall on the baby, which give the crumbs considerable discomfort. Each loud sound will make the child startle (this is a reflex).

From the first weeks, the intonation will be important for the baby, and not the meaning of the spoken. By the end of 1 month, the baby will be able to distinguish between familiar sounds (the voice of mom and dad, close relatives, meowing of a four-legged pet, ticking of the clock in the room) and strangers (voices of strangers, sounds of new household appliances). He treats familiar sounds calmly, and unfamiliar ones with caution, with caution. Now many parents know if newborn babies hear at 1 month old.

Closer to 3 months, the speech and auditory centers synchronize. In response to a familiar pleasant sound, the baby can flip its arms and begin to "walk". By the age of 6 months, babies respond to their own name and can catch which side the sound is coming from.

The reaction of crumbs to sounds

Consider whether newborn babies hear sounds. What exactly do they pay attention to? Crumbs can already perceive the following:

• The pace of your speech.
• The changing timbre of the voice.
• Intonation.
• Other sounds. For example, rattle ringing.

How to understand if a newborn baby hears? To do this, you need to observe his reaction:

• freezing or shuddering when new sounds appear;
• crying in response to a loud, harsh or unexpected sound;
• splashing hands and jerking legs;
• listening;
• eye search for a sound stimulus.

If you have repeatedly watched such a reaction of the baby, then he hears everything perfectly. If in a dream the baby does not react to some sounds, then they just do not irritate and disturb him.

How to help your child develop auditory perception?

The main task of parents is to help a newborn baby adapt in the new world. For the development of auditory perception with a crumb, it is necessary to talk more often, give listening to sounds of different keys, music (preferably classical). Very sharp and loud sounds, as well as absolute silence, should be avoided.

Every day you need to do gymnastics, massage with your baby, bathe him. Each of the actions should be accompanied by conversations with the child. You can read him rhymes, jokes, and before bedtime sing a lullaby. So the baby will begin to catch intonation notes, learn to perceive words. And you will not ask how to determine if a newborn baby hears. Everything will be clear and so.

How to care for baby ears

The little man is defenseless in a big and new world for him. It requires a careful and careful attitude. Any inaccurate action while caring for the baby’s ears can disrupt the eardrum and damage your hearing.

Basic care rules:

• Once a week, clean the ears (after the baby was bathed).
• Do not use cotton swabs, they can do harm.
• Roll up small cotton balls, remove sulfur with them. Wipe the eye with a cloth.
• Watch the folds behind the ears, they can dry out and crack, giving the baby discomfort. Lubricate creases with baby oils or creams.

How to check if a newborn baby hears

Sometimes it may turn out that the baby has hearing impairment: hearing loss or deafness. This can be said if he does not react to a sharp sound (does not get scared, does not close his eyes or shudders).

If a three-month-old baby does not show a reaction to the ringing of rattles or the voice addressed to him, then this is an occasion to contact a specialist. Sometimes it happens that a child has a certain degree of hearing loss. Individual babies cannot hear high frequencies, but perceive only low and medium frequencies. Try one experiment. Pour some semolina into a metal or glass jar. Shake the can over the baby’s head so that the decoy makes a sound. If the baby reacts to the sound of semolina, it means that everything is fine with hearing. This is one of the most effective ways to understand if a newborn baby is hearing.

The risk group for hearing diseases includes children of women in childbirth:

• having had measles, rubella, or flu during pregnancy (especially if it was in the early stages, when the fetus only had hearing organs);
• giving birth later or earlier than the due date;
• people who use drugs or alcohol;
• working in hazardous industries (where they breathed toxic substances).

In order to notice and prevent possible hearing deviations in a child in a timely manner, it is necessary to regularly undergo medical examinations (mandatory planned):

1. When the baby is 1 month old. At this age, on examination, he will be examined for auditory reflexes.
2. 6 months. Babies born prematurely (prematurely) are advised to undergo a second physical examination at 3 months.
3. 1 year. At the medical examination, the baby will be thoroughly examined by ENT and other specialists. The doctor will prescribe treatment (if necessary) or give a direction for further examination.

Who has hearing problems

Mostly hearing problems affect the following categories of children:

• premature babies;
• children with ischemic brain damage;
• undergoing acute hypoxia during childbirth;
• babies born from a pregnancy in which the rhesus of the baby and mother were in conflict;
• children whose older generation had relatives with hearing loss or deafness.

When it is necessary to show the baby to ENT

The sooner loving parents understand whether a newborn baby hears or not, the more effective the treatment will be and there will be more chances to restore hearing. Be sure to show your child to a doctor if:

All babies are different and it is impossible to adjust each to medical standards. Some children are sometimes so addicted to the game that they do not notice what is happening around. If you notice any signs of violations in the child - this is not a reason to despair, just go to the doctor to be checked. An experienced specialist will find out if a newborn baby hears, helps with advice or prescribes treatment.

Most importantly, love the baby. Read him more fairy tales, poems, sing songs. In a conversation, try to use different intonations, try to talk with a tiny whisper. The main emphasis is not on the amount of communication, but on its quality. Sooner or later, your dear baby will speak.