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Understanding Sensory Processing in Babies
The first 1,001 days, spanning from pregnancy to a child's second birthday, are crucial for laying the groundwork for a baby’s cognitive, emotional, and physical growth.
Brain development begins before birth, with over a million new neural connections forming every second in the first year.
Sensory pathways for vision and hearing develop first, followed by early language skills and higher cognitive functions, marking this as the peak period for brain development.
Key experiences that shape a baby’s brain architecture come from interactions with their primary caregivers. Babies instinctively engage with adults through babbling, facial expressions, and movements. The adults caring for them respond in kind with sounds and gestures. This back-and-forth process, known as ‘serve and return’, plays a vital role in developing the wiring of the brain.
At birth, a newborn's interaction style is influenced by their genetic makeup and sensory profile. The quality of nurturing interactions and the alignment between sensory processing and the environment significantly affect a baby's ability to self-regulate, which is fundamental for learning and functioning.
Self-regulation starts in the womb. Babies must learn to regulate mood, sleep, and feeding, with sensory processing playing a critical role. Adequate sensory input helps form brain connections essential for cognition and coordination. Conversely, sensory processing issues can lead to behavioural, social, and emotional difficulties.
While sensory stimulation is necessary for development, it must be balanced. Overstimulation can overwhelm a baby’s developing brain, so providing an enriched but not overly stimulating environment is important.
See the links beneath this article for sensory development milestones and suggestions for indicators of sensory processing difficulties in very young children.
Impact of Premature Birth on Sensory Processing
Premature birth can significantly affect a baby’s sensory processing. Premature infants often have underdeveloped sensory systems and spend crucial early weeks in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), exposed to overwhelming sensory stimuli from medical procedures and equipment.
The NICU environment, with its bright lights, loud noises, and frequent handling, can challenge a premature baby’s sensory processing abilities, affecting sleep, feeding, and overall development. Early interventions that focus on sensory modulation and creating a supportive sensory environment can help premature babies develop better sensory processing skills and improve their long-term outcomes.
References
The Best Start for Life: A Vision for the 1,001 Critical Days: The Early Years Healthy Development Review Report. (2021). https://core.ac.uk/download/417955214.pdf
