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The sucking reflex is common to all mammals and is present at birth. It is linked with the rooting reflex and breastfeeding, and causes the child to instinctively suck at anything that touches the roof of their mouth and suddenly starts to suck simulating the way they naturally eat
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The Moro reflex is present at birth, peaks in the first month of life, and begins to disappear around 2 months of age. It is likely to occur if the infant's head suddenly shifts position, the temperature changes abruptly, or he is startled by a sudden noise. The legs and head extend while the arms jerk up and out with the palms up and thumbs flexed.
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Raise head to 45 degrees
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The walking or stepping reflex is present at birth; though infants this young can not support their own weight, when the soles of their feet touch a flat surface they will attempt to 'walk' by placing one foot in front of the other. This reflex disappears at 6 weeks due to an increased ratio of leg weight to strength.[9] It reappears as a voluntary behavior at around eight months to a year old.
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Roll over
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By the end of three months, your child may: Smile when you appear Startle upon hearing loud sounds Make "cooing" sounds Quiet or smile when spoken to Seem to recognize your voice Cry differently for different needs
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Sit with support
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Most infants seem to have a “sweet tooth”.
Infants will nurse more after their mother has consumed a sweet-tasting substance like vanilla (Menalla, 1997) Newborns prefer sweet. However, at 4 months, infants will have a salty preference They will start liking salt which was aversive to them as newborns. -
Newborns prefer sweet. However, at 4 months, infants will have a salty preference They will start liking salt which was aversive to them as newborns.
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Sit without support
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The tonic neck reflex, also known as asymmetric tonic neck reflex or 'fencing posture' is present at one month of age and disappears at around four months. When the child's head is turned to the side, the arm on that side will straighten and the opposite arm will bend (sometimes the motion will be very subtle or slight).
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By the end of six months, your child may: Make gurgling sounds when playing with you or left alone Babble repetitive syllables, such as "ba, ba, ba" Use his or her voice to express pleasure and displeasure Move his or her eyes in the direction of sounds Respond to changes in the tone of your voice Notice that some toys make sounds Pay attention to music
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To understand what an infant can sense researchers often present two stimuli and record the baby’s response. For example a baby is given a sweet tasting substance and a sour tasting substance If the baby consistently responds differently to the two stimuli then the infant must be able to distinguish between them.
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Infants have a keen sense of smell and respond positively to pleasant smells and negatively to unpleasant smells (Menella, 1997). Honey, vanilla, strawberry, or chocolate: relaxed, produces a contented-looking facial expression Rotten eggs, fish, or ammonia produce exactly what you might expect…infants frown, grimace or turn away
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By the end of 12 months, your child may: Point to an object or picture when it's named Recognize names of familiar people, objects and body parts Follow simple directions accompanied by gestures Say as many as eight to 10 words
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By the end of 12 months, your child may: Try to imitate words Say a few words, such as "dada," "mama" and "uh-oh" Understand simple instructions, such as "Please drink your milk" Understand "no" Turn and look in the direction of sounds