The baby's ability to hear has been formed since he was born still in in mother belly, i.e. approx. 23-27 weeks in the womb. Therefore, it is not surprising that many pregnant women are advised totalking or singing to the baby in the womb.
Because babies can start to hear since they are still in the womb, mothers can start introducing sounds to them since they are still pregnant. This method can be one step so that the baby begins to recognize his mother's voice, as well as a way to strengthen the relationship between mother and baby.
Stage Development Baby Hearing
The formation of the ear as an organ of hearing begins from the 4-5th week of pregnancy, along with the formation of the face, brain, nose and eyes. Then at 18 weeks of gestation, the baby's hearing process begins to function.
When entering the second trimester of pregnancy, the baby in the womb begins to hear the sound of the mother's heartbeat, the movement of air in the lungs, the sound of the intestines, and the flow of blood in the mother's body. Until at 23-27 weeks of gestation, the baby in the womb is able to hear the voice of the mother and her surroundings.
The following are the stages of development of the baby's hearing ability as he gets older:
1. Newborn baby
Newborns can recognize their mother's voice and begin to hear the sounds around them. He may also be surprised when he hears new sounds around him, because these sounds have never been heard while in the mother's womb.
2. 3 months baby
At this age, the baby's five senses are very sensitive to things around him, including smell, hearing, and the language spoken by the mother. Sometimes it also responds by making some noises. It is at this age that babies begin to try to "talk" to those around them.
3. Baby 4-5 months
At this age, the baby's listening ability continues to develop until he can respond to mother's words or songs with a cute smile. Not only that, a 4 month old baby has also started to chatter a word or two.
4. Baby 6-7 months
At the age of 6-7 months, babies are increasingly actively looking for the origin of the sound they hear, be it the voices of their parents or the sound of certain objects, such as toys and the sound of television. In addition, the baby will also chatter or respond with a smile when he hears a familiar voice.
5. Baby 8-10 months
At the age of 8-10 months, babies have begun to recognize and understand words that are often spoken by people around them, such as "ball", "bottle", and "toy".
It doesn't stop there, at this age, babies also recognize the distinctive voices of their mothers and fathers, and even other people whose voices they often hear.
6. 1 year old baby
The older the baby, the more the baby's knowledge of the language he often hears will develop. At this age, babies can already communicate and say "yes" or "no", and begin to say a few short sentences. A 1 year old baby is also able to recognize children's songs that he often hears.
Examination of the Sense of Hearing in Newborns
To ensure that the baby's hearing ability is normal, it is necessary to have an early hearing screening examination. This examination will usually be done by a doctor before the baby enters the age of 1 month.
This examination is especially important for infants who have a family history of hearing loss, low APGAR scores, were born prematurely, or were born to mothers who had an infection during pregnancy.
If the results of the baby's hearing screening for the first time show that there is a hearing loss, then this examination will be repeated 3 months later. This hearing re-screening examination will be accompanied by a physical examination of the ear and monitoring its growth and development.
If after the test both babies still seem to have hearing loss, then the doctor will take further treatment steps to overcome the disorder. This treatment can be with physiotherapy and special exercises to encourage the baby's listening ability.
Parents can support the baby's listening ability from the time he is in the womb by inviting him to talk or listening to soothing music to support optimal development.
If in development your baby has hearing loss, immediately consult a pediatrician to get the right treatment.
