When a baby is born, she is such a small, new and, seemingly, perfect little bundle. As she grows and develops, she becomes accustomed to using her eyes and ears and begins to make a connection with you. To develop the ability to speak, she has to be able to hear speech. In the same way, she needs to be able to see your face and the world around her so she can develop normally and learn to get around as she grows. Some babies are born with hearing or vision problems and, because they can't tell you something is wrong, it is up to you to notice any difficulties.
Hearing Problems
Step 1
Watch your baby for reactions to sudden loud sounds, such as a hand clap or a dog barking, suggests the Family Doctor. If he doesn't react to noises, he needs to be examined more closely by his pediatrician or a hearing specialist.
Step 2
Observe your baby when she is crying or upset. Turn soft music on or speak quietly to her--if she does not calm down and orient herself toward the music or your voice, she needs further screening, writes the Family Doctor.
Step 3
Watch your baby when he is calm and have your spouse turn on some music. Notice whether your baby turns his head toward the music. If not, he needs to be examined by his doctor, advises the Family Doctor.
Vision Problems
Step 1
Look into your baby's eyes. If she is younger than 4 months old, her eyes will cross occasionally. If they cross all the time, she should be examined by her pediatrician and an eye specialist for potential problems, writes the Healthy Children website.
Step 2
Pick up a baby toy and hold it in front of your baby's eyes at a distance of 12 to 18 inches. Slowly move the toy from side to side. If he doesn't "track" or follow the toy, he either may not see it very clearly or he may not be able to see it at all. Call his doctor for an appointment. The Healthy Children website says infants older than 3 months should be able to track an object.
Step 3
Look into your baby's eyes again. If they appear to be misaligned, she needs to see her doctor immediately, writes the Healthy Child website.
Tips and Warnings
- You are your baby's voice when communicating with his pediatrician. Your baby doesn't know when something isn't right with his hearing or vision, so you need to be observant and alert the doctor when something doesn't seem right.
