Is your baby turning to look for sounds?

Your baby has been listening to sounds since before they were born and is keenly interested in voices. Now, you will notice them listening and showing more awareness of other sounds – look to see if they stop moving or are quiet when they hear a voice or other sound.^[1] 

Your baby is born listening and learning 

Your baby’s ears developed before birth, and they had everything that they needed to be able to hear by around 10 weeks before their due date. The sounds that they will have heard before they were born will have been muffled, but despite this, they will have been more interested in human voices from when they were born and will have recognised their mother’s voice.^[2]  

They might already be picking up on emotions in voices

Your baby will listen not only to develop their understanding of language but also to understand other information that is shared when people speak. Researchers have found that the part of a baby's brain that responds to emotions responds to sad sounds played to them while they were sleeping.^[2]  

Perhaps then your baby also makes connections between what they hear and emotions. They might start to recognise when someone is sad or happy by linking the tone of voice and pattern of what they hear by how people express themselves. 

Direction and distance: where's that sound coming from? 

Your baby will use what they hear to understand what is said and how people feel, but will also listen to understand the world.  

Through experience of listening, they will begin to recognise where a sound is coming from. They will link what they hear with what they can see and will begin to recognise if the source of a sound is close by or further away.^[2] 

The first step towards making these judgements about direction and distance is listening carefully to what they hear. They might also, as their physical skills develop, look or turn their head as if they are looking for the source of the sound.^[1] 

They'll soon turn to look for the source of sound

In the coming months, your baby will begin to recognise the direction that a sound is coming from and will turn towards it rather than looking backwards and forwards. They will become more aware of sounds even when they can't see the source of a sound, and might turn to look when they hear a familiar voice from another room.  

References: 

[1] Byrne, E., (2021) How to build a human: What science knows about childhood. London: Souvenir Press. 

[2] Sheridan, M., Sharma, A and Cockerill, H. (2014). Mary Sheridan’s from birth to five years. Children’s developmental progress. (4th edn.). Abingdon: Routledge.