WY Quality Counts

Interacting with your baby lays the foundation for healthy emotional development

Date : Monday, July 19 2010
Source: Autourina Mains

Responding quickly to your baby’s needs is not spoiling the baby. According to research when you respond to your baby’s cues for his/her needs (crying or fussing), you are sending the message of security and safety and you are connecting with your baby.  For healthy emotional development, the bay needs to feel secure, safe, loved and connected. 

New parents will often say that having a baby changed their life….”The world revolves around the baby.” And that is very true.  As research shows us, the world should revolve around the baby (feeding, bathing, sleep pattern, diapering, cuddling, playing, rocking etc).  Since babies have not yet developed speech and language skills, their only mode of communication is crying.  As parent we get to learn every cry; hunger cry, wet cry, “I am bored” cry, sleepy cry, hold me cry, etc.  And sometimes they cry though all their physical needs are met but maybe they need to be held, rocked, walked or sang to (emotional needs). 

Babies that are neglected consistently and don’t get a respond to their cry of need (either physical or emotional) may develop attachment disorder.  Attachment is an important bonding process between the infant and the caregiver.  From conception to about 3 years old, children need to build strong bonds with parents and primary caregivers in order to develop healthy physically, emotionally and psychologically.  Without this bond, the child is not able to feel trust, compassion, love and empathy. 

There are many symptoms of attachment disorder in infants and they include:

• Avoids eye contact

• Doesn’t smile

• Doesn’t reach out to be picked up

• Rejects your efforts to calm, soothe, and connect

• Doesn’t seem to notice or care when you leave them alone

• Cries inconsolably

• Doesn’t coo or make sounds

• Doesn’t follow you with his or her eyes

• Isn’t interested in playing interactive games or playing with toys

• Spend a lot of time rocking or comforting themselves

There are multiple factors that may cause attachment disorder:

• Traumatic prenatal experience

• Birth trauma

• Abandonment and neglect

• In utero exposure to alcohol or drugs

• Inconsistent or inadequate daycare

• Institutionalization (babies in orphanages)

• Genetic disorder

Babies who cannot be touched because of body cast or being in an incubator for prolong time can also develop attachment disorder.  Human touch is so vital to healthy life growth and development that babies who are denied it suffer terribly. Attachment disorder affects the babies overall future growth and development.  As these little ones grow up they may develop a disability (learning disability), and may have difficulty relating to others.  They have difficulty building relationships, being affectionate and demonstrating love. Please keep in mind that you should never diagnose because any disorder must be identified by a qualified professional.  SO…love  and care for your baby, hold him, talk to him, play with him because all these acts of love is building a strong bond between you and your baby and you are raising  a baby that will grow up to be an emotionally healthy adult.