Babies’ failure to make eye contact sometimes causes people to be treated with a lot of anxiety, while sometimes they are not taken seriously or even paid attention to. Poor vision and the suspicion of autism, especially in babies who do not make eye contact or show decreasing eye contact, can cause significant concern for parents.
While it was previously thought that babies who did not make eye contact between the ages of 0-2 months had autism, that criteria has been updated as babies who do not make eye contact between the ages of 0-6 months. Of course, it is not correct to diagnose every baby who does not make eye contact as completely autistic or has a severe eye disease. Because there may be a lack of eye contact for different reasons and even it can be normal.
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The Importance of Eye Contact in Babies
Eye contact is extremely important in babies and is one of the most important things to follow. The development of eye contact in babies occurs as a result of a process in which the brain and visual system begin to work in coordination.
This means that your baby does not immediately start making eye contact as soon as he is born . However, after a certain period of time, he/she must start making eye contact . Otherwise, it may be thought that there are some problems in the baby’s brain development or that there is an eye disease preventing it from seeing.
In order to understand whether your baby has a problem with eye contact and to get help for this , you must first learn how eye contact and vision development is.
Development of Eye Contact and Vision in Babies
Eye contact development in babies occurs as vision development progresses step by step. You need to know these stages to understand whether there is any problem in your baby’s eye contact development . This process in vision development proceeds as follows;
- When 7 hours have passed after birth, babies begin to watch their mothers’ faces with great interest.
- Between 6 and 10 weeks, your baby looks directly at you and begins to direct his gaze deliberately.
- When your baby reaches 3 months, he can now follow the movements around him.
- Babies between the ages of 9 and 11 months look into the eyes of the other person and begin to understand what they see.
For your questions about eye contact in babies, you can contact us via our Whatsapp contact line.
What Can Be Done for Babies Who Do Not Make Eye Contact?
If your baby does not develop eye contact as stated above , then you need to get medical support. Early diagnosis and early treatment of vision-impairing congenital cataracts, high refractive errors, corneal diseases, retinal diseases or neurological diseases are vital to prevent permanent vision loss. That’s why babies should have regular eye examinations from birth.
You should prioritize eye examination, especially if your baby still does not make eye contact after the first 3 months. These processes should be followed and babies who do not make enough eye contact should also be evaluated neurologically. As a result , what needs to be done for babies who do not make eye contact is to be examined as early as possible.
For additional information, feel free to text us via WhatsApp at +90 533 975 23 96
About the Author – Doç. Dr. Halil Hüseyin Çağatay
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Halil Hüseyin Çağatay, MD, FEBO is an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology with 15+ years of clinical experience in pediatric eye diseases, strabismus (children and adults), eyelid disorders, eye aesthetics, cataract surgery, and laser treatments. He completed his medical education at the Istanbul Faculty of Medicine (1999–2005) and his specialization at Şişli Etfal Training and Research Hospital (2005–2009).
He holds the European Board of Ophthalmology (FEBO) Diploma, has authored numerous national and international scientific publications, and has been practicing in his own clinic in Karşıyaka, İzmir, since 2018, delivering evidence-based and trusted eye care.
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