GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

The newborn baby comes into the world in an absolutely helpless
condition and completely unconscious of his surroundings. He
unconsciously performs certain acts, such as opening his eyes, crying,
urination, movement of the bowels, and even nursing of the breast; but
there is probably no distinct voluntary action connected with any of
these acts. All of his senses at birth are practically dormant, but as
the days and weeks go by, they begin to awaken.

SPECIAL SENSES

The baby cries, but the tears do not actually flow over the lids until
he is three or four months old, and while the baby may fix his eyes
upon objects and distinguish light from darkness, he will not wink nor
blink when the finger is brought close to the eye. Vision is probably
not complete until the beginning of the third month.

Infants are said to be deaf for the first twenty-four to forty-eight
hours after birth, and some authorities hold that they are deaf for
several days.

Taste is early developed, as a newborn baby will often repeatedly show
a desire to taste sweet things, while if sour or bitter things are put
to the tongue, it shows its displeasure.

HAIR AND SCALP

The newborn baby usually comes into the world with a good head of
hair, but the end of the first or second week witnesses the falling
out of much of this hair, and falling may continue for even another
week or two. The hair is often worn off on the back of the head
because of constant friction upon the pillow.

Children differ greatly in the growth of hair. Some of them come into
the world with heavy hair, and others lose it quickly and remain
nearly bald-headed until after the first year.

As the second hair grows in, it is usually lighter than it was at
birth and lighter than it will be later in life, as the hair has a
tendency to grow darker as the years go by.

The scalp should receive the care already mentioned. As the hair comes
in it should be shampooed once in two weeks and brushed often, making
it healthy and vigorous.

MISSHAPEN HEADS

It is wise to turn the baby first on one side and then on the other
and not allow him to sleep night after night on one side of his head.
The newborn head may be misshapen by laying the child constantly on
one side, and the ear may be misshapen if it is allowed to curl under
or become pressed forward. Markedly protruding ears may be partially
corrected by having the child wear a well-ventilated c