Babies start hearing clearly from birth. Even in the womb, babies are able to hear your voice and other noises. Your baby’s hearing will fully develop by the end of the first month. However, it will take up till around 6 months for the baby to understand and respond to the things he hears.
 

 

How babies hearing develops

 
Newborn : Right after your baby is delivered, he will start paying  attention to voices and sounds especially high-pitched once. He may be able to recognize familiar noises such as your voice or songs  you sang to him while in the womb. Loud sounds may startle him.

3 months : By the third month, the temporal lobe which is the part of the brain that helps in language, hearing and smell will be active and receptive. Your  baby may look at you when he hears your voice. Babbling and listening can be tedious for a 3 month old baby. If your baby looks away while you read to him, there is no need for concern. He may just have had enough stimulation.

4 months : Around this time, your baby may even smile when he hears your voice. He will react excitedly to sound. He will watch your mouth as you speak in an attempt to copy you. She may even utter consonant words like “m” and “b”.

Six months : At this time , your baby will turn quickly to new sounds. He is able to tell where sounds are coming from. He may even respond to quiet sounds that do not distract him.

12 months : At about a year old, your baby will be able to recognize his favorite songs and may even try to sing along.

How can you encourage your baby to listen ?

 
There are  many things you can do to help your baby recognize and learn new sounds. These include the following :

• read to your baby . Try varying the pitch of your voice as you read to him to make it more fun
• sing nursery rhymes and play music . You will realise that the baby will like more songs and tunes than others  as he develops his own taste

The more you talk and read to you baby, the more sounds and words he will learn as he begins to talk.

How would i know if  my baby has hearing problems ?

 
It is normal for your baby to sleep through the night and through sounds such as telephone ringing. However,  when he is awake and alert, he should be startled by loud, sudden  noise or be able to turn when she hears your voice.

You baby will be offered a hearing test after delivery. If the results of this test comes back inconclusive, you will be asked to come back for another test. This does not mean there is a problem. It could be due to fluid or a temporary blockage in the ear. Your baby may also be unsettled during the test.

If the test shows that there could be a problem, you will be asked to return for a follow-up test.

It is not common for babies to have hearing problems. However,  it may happen especially in these circumstances.

• baby spends some time in the neonatal unit after birth
• family history of hearing loss or  deafness
• baby was premature or low birth weight
• you had rubella, toxoplasmosis or cytomegalovirus during pregnancy

 
Content Sources