![]() ![]() ![]() Over the initial few weeks of life infants will only be able to see items that are distinguishable by a distinct contrast in colour, the optimum combination being black and white. When presented with such a target the baby’s visual pathway will be stimulated and the brain can work towards matching the images seen by each eye, in turn teaching the eyes to coordinate with one another. They will gaze into the mid distance and often the eyes will not coordinate well together. “When we are born, despite the fact that our eyes start to develop early in the womb from week 4 of pregnancy, infants have very poor sight and limited colour vision. We spoke with Optometrist Emma Davies BSc MCOptom, to get her expert opinion based on the use of black and white resources and newborn visual stimulation, here is what Emma had to say: Your baby’s retina and brain may benefit when providing them with continuous visual sensory stimulation through simple black and white, light, and dark pictures and bold, contrasting shapes and patterns. ![]() Stronger signals mean more brain growth and faster visual development. Research suggests that black and white contrasting shapes and patterns register the strongest on a baby’s retina which sends stronger signals to their brain. Over the next few months your baby’s brain will develop rapidly, which is why it is important to include visual stimulation. A baby’s retina at birth can only detect large contrasts between black and white, so, if you have a beautiful pastel or colourful nursery, at this stage, it will do nothing visually for your baby as they may only see them as one shade all merged. You may have noticed that your baby loves and responds to being close to you and this is because they can only see around 10-12 inches. When babies are born, they do not see the world quite like we do as their retina is not yet fully developed. You may have noticed that there are a lot of black and white, high contrast and monochrome baby toys now available on the market and it’s not because monochrome is the latest nursery trend (although monochrome nurseries do look amazing) but because there is a whole heap of research now available that suggests that new born babies benefit developmentally from black and white sensory toys and stimulation. Research published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2019 found that Black babies died at double the rate of white, Asian or Hispanic infants before their first birthday, regardless of the mother’s income or education level.And what are the best black and white toys to give to your baby? has a higher infant mortality rate than almost all other Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries, ranking higher only than Mexico, Turkey and Chile.Īlthough infant mortality rates overall have been declining for decades in the U.S., severe racial disparities remain. Hardeman said infant mortality rates are often used by researchers as a marker of overall community health and well-being. "We’re talking about a social construct that has gotten under the skin," she said.ĬDC: Hispanic, Black children at higher risk of coronavirus-related hospitalization She said those effects, including limited access to health care and education, are the same factors behind the disproportionate effect of COVID-19 on people of color. She cited one theory that suggests Black women are less healthy and at greater risk for negative health outcomes during pregnancy because of the cumulative effects of racism and socioeconomic disadvantage over the course of their lives. The stark differences in infant mortality are not the result of a biological difference but rather likely the legacy of structural racism, said study co-author Rachel Hardeman, a reproductive health equity researcher and associate professor at the University of Minnesota. 'Going to the doctor is a fear': How doulas are helping one city lower its high rate of black infant deaths The race of the doctor caring for white babies did not make much difference to the likelihood of survival, and there was no statistically significant improvement in maternal mortality – which is also higher for Black women – when mothers were the same race as their doctor. The study found the largest decrease in Black newborn mortality rate occurred in complex births and at hospitals that deliver more Black babies. Researchers analyzed 1.8 million hospital birth records in Florida from 1992 to 2015 and identified the race of the doctor. ![]()
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