Why do infants smile?
Babies are spotted to smile after about 12 weeks of their birth. These smiles might be from normal smiles to the big grins with opened mouth. As age progresses they smile, laugh and start feeling very happy. Babies smile as anyone else as they feel happy. This situation can arise when the mother comes to the baby from another room or any toy which the baby liked was given to her. It is also found that babies smile sometimes when people surrounding are also smiling and participating in the fun. The babies also smile when they come across the loved one like mother, father or any person close to her. If the baby feels funny about any object or person she will start smiling. Some people say that babies smile in return to the smile of elders at her. Mostly people do not accept this matter.
Infants are found to smile and even frown when they are in REM sleep. This is the very important sleep stage when they are awake. At the time of REM sleep, the babies might get good or bad dreams. Dreaming usually helps the human beings whether they are adults or infants to accept the things psychologically what they have felt and experienced.
Babies are observed to be smiling when he/she is filled with pleasure and happiness. If the baby is taken care of by the elders by picking him up from the floor they might feel happy and start smiling. Generally children like to be lifted by their loved people and hence they smile because they enjoy the others picking them up. Babies like to smile at their parents and loved ones. Smiles of the infant within one month of age will have no reason. These smiles are said to have originated from sub cortical region.
The 2 months baby will start responding to the visual and auditory stimulations of the environment. The 6 months baby will smile to manage the emotions.
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