Your baby's eyes and brain work together in order to see things. If his eyes haven't formed the way that they should or if his brain has trouble processing the necessary information, he may have vision impairment in one or both eyes. Kids Health states that your baby can still learn and develop normally, even with vision impairment. You may notice that your baby achieves some milestones in the same range as babies who are not visually impaired.
Birth to 3 Months
Shortly after birth, your visually impaired baby will be able to be soothed by a familiar voice or touch. She will be able to recognize a caregiver's voice and will react to sudden sounds. You will notice that she has different cries for different needs and can ignore some sounds and focus on others. By the time she is 3 months old, she will be able to play with her hands, retain an object placed in her hand, and lift her head while she is on her belly.
4 to 6 Months
By the time he is 4 months old, your baby will be able to initiate a request for attention and place objects in his mouth. If something comes into contact with his body, he will reach for it even though he may not be able to see it. By the time he is 6 months old, he will be able to make three vowel sounds and imitate your voice. He will also be able to transfer objects from one hand to another, sit with support and roll over.
7 to 9 Months
Around 7 months of age, your visually impaired baby will experience some stranger anxiety and fear of separation. This is a big emotional milestone because it indicates that your baby recognizes the presence of someone different. She will also be able to make vowel and consonant combinations and will enjoy exploring different textures. She will be able to uncover toys and place something into a container. By the time she is 9 months old, she will be able to crawl and will briefly search for something that she has dropped.
10 to 12 Months
Around 10 months of age, your baby will be able to babble and make gestures. When he is 12 months old, he may be able to name some objects. He will also be able to stand alone and may move toward you when you call for him. He can also locate a fixed object, such as a chair or table.
Supporting Development
You can help support the development of your visually impaired baby by taking her to a specialist who can assist with her development. Vision loss will change the way that your baby learns and you may notice that she develops language early because of her ability to focus on other senses more. Be sure that your baby's skills are consistently progressing, and support all aspects of her development.
