Baby Language Quiz - Answers!

Here are the answer's to this week's quiz:

Typically, how old are babies/toddlers when they:
1. Consistently respond to their own names?

Around 6 months. At the same age, babies will look longer at people who are named, showing that they have linked names with people like "mommy," "daddy," and other close relatives.

2. Start to use a few words consistently with meaning (not just understanding but saying the words themselves with obvious meaning)?

Around 12 months. You'll notice that your baby understands words much earlier than he says them. He will first understand then use new words (often mispronounced) at an amazing rate as his first birthday passes. Remember to pay attention to what words your baby hears from you or any other source. Babies are sponges, soaking everything up including words you wouldn't want shouted out at a family gathering.

3. Use cooing and other noises specifically to attract your attention?

As early as 3 months, your baby will be using sounds that she knows will attract your attention. Remember, your baby loves looking at your whole face and listening to your voice. She is trying to learn as much as she can from you. If you respond to her softer sounds, she'll have less reason to resort to shrieking.

4. Start to combine words into short noun-verb sentences?

Around 20 to 24 months, your baby will start to use sentences and combinations of words. Even though your baby might still shorten or mispronounce words, you'll notice that he seems to follow basic grammar  rules in that he is using words in a specific order, like "I go."

5. First recognize friendly or angry tones in others' voices.

Around 6 months, your baby will respond more positively to friendly voices and negatively to angry ones. She's been watching and learning from you and has learned to prefer nicer tones of voice. Keep in mind that your baby might become upset if she is nearby when people are arguing even if she doesn't understand what is being said.

Resources:
Infant Development 2nd Edition, Volume 1: Basic Research. Bremner and Wachs (Eds). Wiley-Blackwell. 2010.

Stamm, J. Bright from the Start. Gotham Books, 2007.

Summer Safety Quiz Answers!

Here are the answers to our Summer Safety Quiz. What is your baby summer safety IQ? Please leave a comment if you have any additional questions or comments!

Do babies under 6-months of age need additional water (outside of that mixed with formula for formula-fed babies)? Yes or No?
 

No. Babies under 6-months of age do not need additional water. The amount of breast milk or formula your baby drinks is enough fluid to provide the right level of hydration for him or her. Having said that, babies can get dehydrated quickly during hot weather. If you are concerned about dehydration, please talk to your pediatrician.

True or False? Babies under 6-months of age should be kept out of direct sun.

True. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that infants younger than 6 months be kept out of direct sunlight.
 

At what age is it recommended that babies start wearing sunscreen?

Infants under 6-months of age should not wear sunscreen, according to the AAP. After 6-months of age, sunscreen should be worn every time your baby is outside. Also, hats and other protective clothing should be worn to provide additional protection from the sun.
 

What is the minimum sunblock SPF level recommended for babies?

Sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher should be used. It should also be labeled “broad-spectrum” so that it protects against many types of UV rays. It’s also important to follow all directions on the sunscreen bottle to ensure maximum effectiveness! For example, it’s important to apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before going into the sun.
 

At what time of the day are UV rays the strongest?

UV rays are the most intense between 10am and 4pm. Schedule outside time accordingly!
 

True or false? Babies do not need sunscreen or to be covered when skies are overcast or cloudy.

False! Damaging UV rays are still present in cloudy or overcast weather! It’s important to use sunscreen and protective clothing, including hats, even when it is not sunny.

Other Summertime posts to check out:

Summer Safety Reminders

Summer Travel with Your Baby

Summer Vacation Tips

 

References:

American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Environmental Health. Ultraviolet Light: A Hazard to Children. Pediatrics. 1999:104(2)328-332

Balk SJ, the Council on Environmental Health and Section on Dermatology. Ultraviolet Radiation: AHazard to Children and Adolecents. Pediatrics. 2011:127(3);e791-e871.

www.Healthychildren.org

Summer Safety Quiz!

It’s summertime and we are feeling the heat here in California. Speaking of heat, we have some great past posts about summer safety for babies. These are especially timely as US families participate in outdoor festivities to celebrate our independence day on the 4th of July. Here is a quick quiz to check your baby summer safety IQ. Hint: check out our past posts from Summer 2011 for answers! We will post answers next time. Happy Summer and happy 4th of July holiday for those of you who have the day off!

1. Do breastfed or formula-fed babies under 6-months of age need additional water (outside of that mixed with formula powder for formula-fed babies)? Yes or No?

2. True or False. Babies under 6-months of age should be kept out of direct sun.

3. At what age is it recommended that babies start wearing sunscreen?

4. What is the minimum sunblock SPF level recommended for babies?

5. At what time of the day are UV rays the strongest?

6. True or False. Babies do not need sunscreen or to be covered when skies are overcast or cloudy.

Sleep Quiz Answers

Ready to see if you were right?

1. How old are babies when they start most of their naps or nighttime sleeping in deep sleep?

c. 3-4 months

Read more about how babies' sleep patterns change here.

2. How long do sleep cycles typically last in babies?

c. 60 minutes

No wonder you're tired all the time! Adult sleep cycles last about 90 minutes. Read more about the basics of infant sleep here.

3. True or False? Healthy babies rarely wake at night after they are 6 months old.

Sadly, this is false. There are lots of reasons why babies may wake after they are 6 months old. They will start to sleep longer and longer stretches but it is quite common for older babies to wake up.

4. True or False? Formula feeding mothers get significantly more sleep than breastfeeding mothers.

Another one that is false (spot the trend?). Recent studies using objective measures found that mothers of formula fed infants did not get more sleep despite the common belief that they did.

5. True or False? Newborns (less than 6 weeks old) can be taught to sleep longer at night if they are kept awake during the day.

This last one is false too! Newborn sleep is erratic and unpredictable. Their biology isn't quite ready to respond to differences between night and day. This ability comes a little later.

Great job! We'll be back on Friday with a new post.

Shhhh! Time for a Sleep Quiz

This week, we thought we'd see how much you know about how babies sleep. Are you ready?

1. How old are babies when they start most of their naps or nighttime sleeping in deep sleep?
            a. Birth
            b. 6-8 weeks
            c. 3-4 months
            d. 6 months

2. How long do sleep cycles typically last in babies?
           a. 30 minutes
           b. 45 minutes
           c. 60 minutes
           d. 90 minutes

3. True or False? Healthy babies rarely wake at night after they are 6 months old.

4. True or False? Formula feeding mothers get significantly more sleep than breastfeeding mothers.

5. True or False? Newborns (less than 6 weeks old) can be taught to sleep longer at night if they are kept awake during the day.

November Quiz Answers!

Here are the answers to our quiz:

1. How much larger do babies' brains grow between birth and adulthood?

The answer is c) Four times larger than at birth

The weight of a newborn's brain is about 25% of its adult weight even though the baby's body is only 5% of its adult weight. By the time the child is 2 years old, the weight of his brain will have reached 75% of its adult weight. Wow!

2. Approximately, how many neurons (nerve cells) are babies born with?

The answer is b) 100 billion neurons (nerve cells).

Babies are born with more neurons than they can possibly use. As their brains develop, many neurons are "pruned" away because they are unused. This is a normal process which helps babies adapt best to their new world. The strongest neural connections remain as babies grow.

3. When do the areas of the brain that are most active in language development grow fastest?

The answer is b) Between 6 months and 24 months.

As we've mentioned in past posts, language development is happening before your baby says her first words. In fact, speech that babies hear when they are approaching their first birthday will help them learn to recognize the sounds characteristic of the local language that they will eventually speak.

4. True or False? The part of the brain that is used for planning and self-control is well developed by the time a baby is 12 months old.

This is false. The very last part of the brain to develop is the part that is used for planning and self-control. It does not function during infancy and develops slowly throughout childhood and adolescence. Babies don't have the ability to control themselves by thinking or reasoning. That comes much later.

5. What is the function of “mirror neurons?”

This is a little bit of a trick question because the function of these neurons is controversial. Mirror neurons were first identified in monkeys. It was found that certain parts of monkeys' brains became active when they watched other monkeys reach for some fruit. The parts of the brain that became active in the observing monkeys were the same as those in the monkeys who were reaching for the fruit. Therefore, the observing monkeys had neurons that would "mirror" those in the active monkeys. The theory is that monkeys and babies form connections in the brain while watching others to help them learn and understand what others are doing. The presence of "mirror neurons" may be behind babies' abilities to learn so much so quickly. Not all scientists believe there are functional mirror neurons in babies. Just remember, no matter how his brain makes it happen, your baby will be watching and learning from you all the time.

References

1. Saffran JR et al. (2006) The infants' auditory world: Hearing, speech, and the beginnings of language. In: Handbook of Child Psychology: Volume 2. Cognition, Perception, and Language. Hokoken, NJ: Wiley.

2. de Haan M and Johnson MH. (2003) Mechanisms and theories of brain development. In: The Cognitive Neuroscience of Development, New York. Psychology Press.

3. Luciana M. (2003) The neural and functional development of the human prefrontal cortex. In: The Cognitive Neuroscience of Development, New York. Psychology Press.

4. Cattaneo L., Rizzolatti D. (2009) The Mirror Neuron System. Arch Neurol 66: 557-560.

5. Hickok G. (2009) Eight problems for the mirror neuron theory of action understanding in monkeys and humans. J Cogn Neurosci 21:1229-1243.

November Baby Quiz

We are living in exciting times for those interested in knowing more about how babies' brains work. Scientists are using the latest brain imaging technologies to help us understand the reasons why babies behave the way they do. In today's quiz, we're focusing on findings from brain-specific research. We invite you to share your guesses by posting a comment!

1. How much larger do babies' brains grow between birth and adulthood?

         a) Two times larger than at birth

         b) Three times larger than at birth

        c) Four times larger than at birth

2. Approximately, how many neurons (nerve cells) are babies born with?

       a) 100 million neurons (nerve cells)

      b) 100 billion neurons (nerve cells)

     c) 100 trillion neurons (nerve cells)

3. When do the areas of the brain that are most active in language development grow fastest?

     a) Between birth and 18 months

    b) Between 6 months and 24 months

   c) Between 12 months and 36 months

4. True or False?  The part of the brain that is used for planning and self-control is well developed by the time a baby is 12 months old.

5. What is the function of “mirror neurons?”

Answers to Our Latest Baby Milestone Quiz!

In our latest quiz, we asked several questions about babies' milestones. Here are the answers!

1. How old are babies when they first can coordinate sucking and swallowing?

a. Before birth
b. 1 day
c. 1 week
d. 1 month

Answer: a. Babies can coordinate sucking and swallowing by about 28 weeks gestation. Amazing!

2. How old are babies when the newborn sucking reflex is replaced by the ability to suck voluntarily?

a. Before birth
b. 4 days
c. 4 weeks
d. 4 months

Answer: d. I bet this one surprised you. Of course, this change doesn't happen all at once but occurs gradually. At the same time that babies are able to suck on things voluntarily, they are also gaining control over motor skills that allow them to bring things to their mouths. Around 4 months, babies add a new way to explore objects - by  mouthing and tasting them. Keep that in mind when you are babyproofing.

3. How old are children typically when they can first use 1000 words?

a. 12 months
b. 24 months
c. 36 months
d. 48 months

Answer c. For many parents, the explosion in the number of words that their children use is one of more exciting parts of their babies' development. We shared a series about language development in the Fall of 2009. Babies learn words that they hear each day. So keep this in mind, your baby will be very good at remembering the words that you use.

4. How old are babies when they can focus and coordinate vision in both eyes at the same time?

a. Before birth
b. 1 week
c. 7 weeks
d. 14 weeks

Answer. d. Vision develops very quickly in infants. Other systems can take months or years to get up to speed. If you pay close attention, you will see that your baby gets better and better at following objects with her eyes as she gets older.

5. How old are babies when they can coordinate both hands so they can hold objects that are too big for them to hold in one hand?

a. 4 to 5 months
b. 8 to 9 months
c. 11 to 12 months
d. 14 to 15 months

Answer c. Motor skills that require both hands are far more challenging than most of adults imagine. An earlier significant milestone occurs when babies can pass objects from one hand to the other. Older babies can start to manipulate large objects by using both hands to hold them. For many children, it is several years before they can consistently catch an object tossed to them. So don't worry if your older baby drops objects when you try to play catch. Your baby will still have fun trying!

Next time: Some big news about our little blog.

Baby Milestone Quiz

We're back with another baby quiz! This time,we're asking about the ages at which infants and young children reach some important milestones. Keep in mind that every baby is different and we're asking for average ages. Please share your guesses with us by adding a comment. We'll post the answers next time.

1. How old are babies when they first can coordinate sucking and swallowing?

a. Before birth
b. 1 day
c. 1 week
d. 1 month


2. How old are babies when the newborn sucking reflex is replaced by the ability to suck voluntarily?

a. Before birth
b. 4 days
c. 4 weeks
d. 4 months

3. How old are children typically when they can first use 1000 words?

a. 12 months
b. 24 months
c. 36 months
d. 48 months

4. How old are babies when they can focus and coordinate vision in both eyes at the same time?

a. Before birth
b. 1 week

c. 7 weeks

d. 14 weeks

5. How old are babies when they can coordinate both hands so they can hold objects that are too big for them to hold in one hand?

a. 4 to 5 months

b. 8 to 9 months

c. 11 to 12 months

d. 14 to 15 months

Next time: The Answers!

Questions for You, Our Readers

Just for fun, we thought we would ask you a few questions. We know how busy you are, so we've made it short and simple. You can answer by posting a comment.

Question 1. What is the funniest thing your baby is doing these days?

Question 2. When you have questions or concerns about your baby, which person in your life are you most likely to turn to?

Question 3. How many minutes/hours per day do you think you spend in direct baby care (feeding, diapering, bathing, etc.)

Answers to our November Quiz!

1. What is the typical newborn’s heart rate?

Babies’ heart rates are typically around 100-160 beats per minute which is much faster than most adults.

2. What does APGAR stand for?

In the early 1950s, Dr. Virginia Apgar created a scoring system to be used to assess the effect of obstetric anesthesia on newborns in the first few minutes of life. The doctor created an easy way to remember the different parts of the assessment using the letters of her own name.
• Appearance – color of the skin
• Pulse – heart rate
• Grimace – reflexes in the face after a little irritation
• Activity – muscle tone and movement
• Respiration – breathing effort

3. How big around is the average newborn’s head?

The average is 33-38 cm, or about 14 inches at the widest part.

4. Which mammal produces the largest babies?

The blue whale. The calf weighs about 2.5 metric tons (5,512 lbs) and is around 7 meters (23 ft) in length. Blue whale calves drink 380–570 liters (100–150 gallons) of milk a day.

5. What is the typical newborn’s body temperature?

In a study of 203 healthy full-term infants, the mean birth temperature was 36.5 degrees C (97.7 degrees F). The babies’ average temperature increased with age, rising to 36.7 degrees C (98.1 degrees F) by 2-3 hours after birth and to 36.8 degrees C (98.2 degrees F) by 15-20 hours after birth.

Next time: Getting the help you need!

November Baby Quiz!

It's time for another baby quiz! Today, we're focusing on newborns. Let us know your guesses by leaving a comment. We'll post the answers on Friday.

1. What is a typical newborn's heart rate? How many beats per minute?

2. A common assessment for newborns generates an "APGAR" score. What does APGAR stand for?

3. What is the average head circumference for newborns?

4. Which mammal produces the largest newborn babies?

5. What is the average newborns' body temperature?

Next time: The answers!

Answers to Our Parents Quiz

1. Which of the following countries has the highest average age among moms having their first child? a. Denmark b. France c. Switzerland d. United States

C. Switzerland where the average is 29.4 years.

For the others - Denmark = 28.4 years, France = 27.8 years, US = 25.0 years (all of these averages come from 2006).

2. Who pays more per year for childcare, parents in the United States or parents in the United Kingdom?

United States (but not by much!)

Of course, costs vary based on location, time, and age of the baby, but average cost (in 2009) for full-time infant care in the UK is (converted) US$13,350 vs. US$14,591 in the US.

3. Which state in the US has the lowest number of births per year?

Vermont with 6513 births (2007 data). The highest is California with 566,352 births!

4. Kids clothes are expensive. How old are kids when parents spend the most money on their clothes? a. 6-8 years b. 9-11 years c. 12-14 years d. 15-17 years

c. 12-14 years (I was sure it was 15-17 years!)

5. In which of the following countries do parents tend to have the most children? a. Japan b. Australia c. Germany

b. Australia.

The average number of children per mom in Australia is 1.78. Japan has the most children per household.

Next time: Back to Posts about Parents!

Time for a Parents Quiz!

Since we are spending so much time talking about parents, we thought we would have a quiz about them. We'll post the answers on Friday. Feel free to share your guesses by posting a comment.

1. Which of the following countries has the highest average age among moms having their first child?
a. Denmark
b. France
c. Switzerland
d. United States

2. Who pays more per year for childcare, parents in the United States or parents in the United Kingdom?

3. Which state in the US has the lowest number of births per year?

4. Kids clothes are expensive. How old are kids when parents spend the most money on their clothes?
a. 6-8 years
b. 9-11 years
c. 12-14 years
d. 15-17 years

5. In which of the following countries do parents tend to have the most children?
a. Japan
b. Australia
c. Germany

Baby Quiz Answers!

Last week, we posted 5 quiz questions. Here are the answers!

1. At what age do babies usually begin pretend/imaginary play? Answer: Research shows that pretend play begins between 12 and 18 months, although many experts agree that it is usually closer to 18 months. When pretend play begins, it can be hard to distinguish between imagination and imitation. For example, if a 12-month-old picks up a cup and puts it to her mouth, she could just be imitating what she knows others do with cups, rather than really imagining that she's drinking.

2. True of False: Recent research shows that babies and young children can not differentiate between reality and fantasy? Answer: False. Although early psychologists believed that young children were unable to tell the difference between real and imaginary, more recent research indicates that even very young children can tell the difference. Similarly, it used to be believed that young children spend so much time pretending because their brains are immature, but experts can now explain that the opposite is true.

3. True or False: Outgoing children are more likely to have imaginary friends than children who are shy? Answer: True. In addition, only children and older siblings are more likely to have imaginary friends than are younger siblings. Although having imaginary friends seems strange to most adults, it is very common and beneficial for young children. For example, children with imaginary friends have been shown to be better at predicting the feelings of others compared to children without imaginary friends.

4. How should babies be put down to sleep? Answer: B. Babies should always be put down to sleep on their backs. Putting babies down to sleep on their backs helps reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and promotes brain development by increasing the amount of time spent dreaming. When babies are on their backs, they are more likely to wake up if they are having trouble breathing. Once your baby is able to roll over on his own, it is ok to leave him on his tummy if he rolls over in the night.

5. True or False: Eye color does not change after birth? Answer: False. Many babies are born with greyish colored eyes and the color tends to change over the first year of life. It has been suggested that almost half of young children experience lightening or darkening of eye color.

If you have questions you'd like to see included in our next quiz, please send them to us. We'd love to hear from you!

Next Time: We'll answer a reader's question about the risk of choking when babies are put down on the backs to sleep.

Baby Quiz! - July 2010

It's time for another baby quiz! Answer the following questions either on your own or in our comments section. We'll post the answers next week.

1. At what age do babies usually begin pretend/imaginary play?

2. True or False: Recent research shows that babies and young children can not differentiate between reality and fantasy?

3. True or False: Outgoing children are more likely to have imaginary friends than children who are shy?


4. How should babies be put down to sleep?
a. on their tummies
b. on their backs
c. however they are most comfortable


5. True or False: Eye color does not change after birth

May Baby Quiz: Answers!

Since so many of you have babies who are older than 6 months, our May quiz included questions about older babies. Here are the answers.

1. On average, at what age do babies double their birth length?

Between 3 and 4 years of age. They triple their birth weight around 1 year of age (unless they were very large at birth).

2. When babies are very young, they see themselves in the mirror and think it is another baby. Typically, how old are babies when they realize they are looking at their own reflection?

Around 1 year of age. Sometimes babies will be a little younger when they realize that they are looking at themselves in a mirror.

3. What percentage of babies get attached to a "security object" or "lovey" such as a soft toy or a blanket?

About 60% of children get attached to a security object at some point. Usually attachment to objects (other than pacifiers) becomes noticeable around 12 months of age and is strongest between the ages of 2 and 3 years. By the time children are 5 1/2 years old, less than 10% still have a "lovey."

4. Can 12 month-old babies understand you when you ask them to do things, such as drink their milk or get their shoes?

Yes! They can understand simple instructions if they are listening. Listening can be a big challenge for babies who are so easily distracted by everything around them. Getting down to eye level with your baby might help him focus on your face and words.

5. How old are babies when they can tell that their parents are happy or unhappy?

Researchers tell us that babies can understand that their parents are happy or unhappy between 9 and 10 months of age.

Next time: The Good and the Bad about Baby Slings

May Baby Quiz!

We're back with a new quiz to test your baby knowledge. Since so many of you have babies who are older than 6 months, we decided to ask some questions about older babies.

1. On average, at what age do babies double their birth length?

2. When babies are very young, they see themselves in the mirror and think it is another baby. Typically, how old are babies when they realize they are looking at their own reflection?

3. What percentage of babies get attached to a "security object" or "lovey" such as a soft toy or a blanket?

4. Can 12 month-old babies understand you when you ask them to do things, such as drink their milk or get their shoes?

5. How old are babies when they can tell that their parents are happy or unhappy?

Next time: The Answers!

April Baby Quiz

It's time for another Baby Quiz! Read the following questions and send us a comment with your answers. We'll post our answers early next week.

1. What percentage of total time sleeping do newborns spend in active sleep (dreaming)?

2. Around 18 months, babies tend to have a vocabulary "spurt." About how many words does the average 18-month-old learn per day?

3. On average, how old are babies when they cut their first tooth?

4. Babies are born with all 5 senses (sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell). Which of the 5 senses seems to be the least developed at birth?

5. On average, how old is a baby who can sit all by himself and move a toy from one hand to the other?

Check back next week to see the answers!

February Baby Quiz Answers

Here are the answers from last week's quiz.

1. How many bones are in a baby's body? Answer: 300. As babies get older, some of the bones join together, which is why adults only have 206 bones.

2. True or False: Babies' brains have more cells than adults? Answer: True. As babies grow and develop, unused cells (or neurons) are eliminated. There has been a lot of fascinating research about brain development over the last few years!

3. On average, babies will triple their birth weight by what age? Answer: 1 year.

4. How many colds does the average child have in the first 2 years? Answer: 8-10.

5. Generally, how loud (in decibels) is a baby's cry? Answer: 110-115. Normal speaking is usually about 60 decibels. The "safe" maximum level of noise is 90 decibels, so it's a good thing the amount of time a baby cries usually peaks at 6 to 8 weeks of age!