Practical Tips - Newborns - The Department

Practical Tips - Newborns

Look at Me

When you watch carefully and with interest you get to know the child better. What they communicate to you is understood better and your warm responses will be an instrument for helping them communicate with you and to make meaning of the world they are part of. When you hear children uttering vocalisations, saying words or humming tunes watch their facial expressions and notice their gestures as they use their hands, feet or whole body to express themselves.

Here is an example of heart-warming interaction between mother and child. The mother is echoing what the child expresses and in turn, the child continues to communicate and enjoy the happy interaction.

By Rumble Viral

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Listen to Me

From day 1, listen to any sound they make and try to understand the meaning. Parents and others who are present in the child’s life learn to understand the different crying sounds, whether the child needs a feed, a nappy change, a cuddle or a nap. They seem to know instinctively that the child feels uncomfortable or in pain.

By Janellevideo

The Science of Neglect

This edition of the InBrief series explains why significant deprivation is so harmful in the earliest years of life and why effective interventions are likely to pay significant dividends in better long-term outcomes in learning, health, and parenting of the next generation.

By InBrief

Serve and Return

The first four years of a child’s life are crucial to her brain development. It is during those years that the brain has its largest period of growth in the areas of hearing, vision, language and communication. Parents need to be aware that engagement is one of the most important things that they can do for their child.

By UMN – CEHD