They Are Curious About the World Around Them Babies are fascinated by the things, movements, or sounds around them as they're experiencing or witnessing them for the first time. Their brain develops as they take in the new sights and they're studying their surroundings that's why they stare.
Babies stare to get to know you…and the world around them!
Babies are fascinated by the movements of your eyes and lips and the amazing coincidence that when you move your mouth, sounds tumble out! And they stare at the world as they try to make out all of the new and exciting sights around them.
In other words, when your wide-eyed munchkin is gazing intently at something, it's because her brain is processing new information and building a foundation for the world around her. On the flipside, sometimes your baby may stare off into space because he just wants to chill out from sensory overload.
So if you're asking “why does my baby look away from me?”, it's probably not personal. Everything is hard work when you're small, so even once your baby can meet your gaze, it might not take long before they're tired of looking. They're also very unlikely to make eye contact if they're feeling sleepy or upset.
Babies go through major periods of cognitive and developmental growth within their first few months of life. They became increasingly aware and curious about the world around them. Everything is new to them, and staring can be an early form of communication between them and the new world around them.
3 Months to 7 Months
By this age, your baby should begin to laugh and smile in return when playing a game with you. Most neurotypical babies will show interest in a game of peek-a-boo and will react during play. Autistic babies, will usually not smile or react during gameplay.
Newborn babies prefer to look at attractive faces, says a UK researcher, suggesting that face recognition is hardwired at birth, rather than … learned.
Blame it on curiosity. Like children and adults, babies are generally curious beings and tend to stare as they get to know you. They are also naturally drawn to faces and might be attracted to interesting features like glasses or a bushy beard.
They might avoid eye contact as a way of managing that overload. Neurodiversity – Sometimes, a lack of eye contact could be an early sign of neurodivergence, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Babies love eye contact and interaction with their caregivers. Grabbing your face may be a way for your baby to establish a connection with you and strengthen the bond between you two. Responding with a smile, gentle touch, or soothing words can further reinforce this connection.
Speak to your healthcare provider or a paediatrician if you're worried about your baby's eye contact. Some babies have vision impairment from birth or develop it due to a medical condition, injury or disease. This can impact their ability to make eye contact and be a sign there's something that needs looking into.
Stark contrasts like light versus dark are easier for them to see. If there is a light or a fan on the ceiling, this may attract your baby's attention and garner a smile or reaction due to the different stimulation for them on the ceiling.
And research suggests that babies evaluate people in much the same way, preferring people who like the same foods, clothes, and toys that they like. This preference helps us to form social bonds, but it can also have a dark side.
“Since so many senses are involved in newborns recognizing their mothers, I think it's a combination of hearing their mothers' voices, hearing and feeling their mothers' heartbeats, the smell of their mothers' bodies, and the sensation of being held and touched in a way that replicates what they sensed and experienced ...
Newborns can see contrast between black and white shapes. The first primary color they are able to distinguish is red. This happens in the first few weeks of life. Babies can start to notice differences in shades of colors, particularly between red and green, between 3 and 4 months old.
And at about the same age, babies who are gazing and smiling at a parent will look away on their own while still smiling. Scientists think that is a sign that they are starting to regulate their own emotions and need to take a break from the intensity of the one-on-one interaction.
According to an old notion, first-born children are genetically predisposed to appear more like their father. It was thought that this was done so that the father would accept the child as his and provide for and care for them. Another argument is that this would prevent him from eating the baby.
Although the exact cause of autism is still unknown, there is evidence to suggest that genetics play a significant role. Since autism is less prevalent in females, autism was always thought to be passed down from the mother. However, research suggests that autism genes are usually inherited from the father.
The behavioral symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often appear early in development. Many children show symptoms of autism by 12 months to 18 months of age or earlier. Some early signs of autism include: Problems with eye contact.
The milestone of responding to one's own name usually occurs between 4 and 9 months, according to the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA). Not all babies reach this milestone at the same time, of course, but most should be appearing to recognize their name with consistency between the ages of 7 and 9 months.
Most anecdotal observations suggest that babies show a strong preference for friendly, smiling female faces. And scientific studies that track eye movements and other objective measures confirm this widespread belief, showing that babies do indeed show a strong preference for female faces when compared to male faces.
Rarely shares enjoyment with you
Babies readily share enjoyment with you by smiling or laughing and looking at you. Some children with autism smile to show they're happy but don't share their enjoyment. Others show little facial expression or have flat affect and rarely smile so you may not know when they're happy.
The period that a baby uses to select a primary attachment figure stretches from 2 to over 12 months, with most infants making up their minds in the period between 3 and 7 months. The baby will focus on the person who is most often there for them when needed and who most often gets it right.
Many children with autism, even those with high-functioning autism, have difficulty learning to engage in everyday human interaction. They may avoid interactions or eye contact or even resist parental attention, hugs, or cuddling.