In my daily practice as a pediatrician, parents often ask a seemingly simple but confusing question: "Why do babies like to pick their eyes and pull their hair?" I really find it a little annoying. "Maybe you've had a similar confusion, which seems to be a habitual behavior of babies, but there is a deeper meaning behind it. Let me unravel this mystery for you through a medical story.
One day, a young mother named Ms. Li came to my clinic with her six-month-old baby, Xiao Ming. Ms. Li told me with a frown that she had noticed that Xiao Ming had been picking at his eyes with his little hands lately, and sometimes pulling his hair hard. She felt anxious that she might hurt her baby's eyes and scalp by doing so. Hearing this description, I smiled, gently comforted her, and then began to carefully observe Xiao Ming's behavior.
Xiao Ming sat in his mother's arms, looking around curiously with a pair of big eyes. I noticed that whenever there was a flash of light, Xiao Ming would use his little hands to grab his eyes, as if trying to catch a touch of light. At the same time, he grabbed his hair with his little hands from time to time, playing with the soft strands of hair. Looking at Xiao Ming's focused and naughty appearance, I couldn't help but feel a trace of warmth in my heart.
The reason why babies pick their eyes
A. Explore the world
1. Visual development: Picking at your baby's eyes may be an attempt to explore their own eyes and learn about their senses and functions.
2. Tactile experience: By picking the eyes, the baby can feel the touch of the skin around the eyes and the eyelids, thus enriching their own tactile experience.
B. Stimulation of sensory nerves
1. Physiological needs: Picking at the eyes may be able to stimulate the baby's sensory nerves and bring a feeling of pleasure or comfort.
2. Habitual behavior: Some babies may develop the habit of picking at their eyes, especially when they are bored, anxious, or confused.
The reason why your baby pulls her hair
A. Explore the body
1. Motor development: Babies explore their body's abilities and boundaries by pulling their hair, which is part of their motor development as they grow.
2. Tactile sensation: Pulling hair provides a different tactile sensation, and your baby may enjoy the texture and feel of the hair.
B. Expressions of intimacy
1. Parent-child relationship: Hair pulling can be an expression of a baby's intimacy with their parents or caregivers, and in this way they can build a sense of connection and closeness to their parents.
2. Emotional connection: Pulling hair can be a way for babies to express emotional connection and attachment, and they want to feel loved and comforted by their parents through this physical contact.
How to understand your baby's behavior
A. Observe your baby's emotions
Feel the expression of love: Babies express their affection and attachment to the people around them by picking their eyes and pulling their hair.
Seeking comfort and closeness: These behaviors can be a way for your baby to seek comfort when they are uncomfortable or feeling down, as well as an expression of intimacy.
B. Respond positively to your baby's behavior
Give attention and companionship: When your baby exhibits these behaviors, give timely attention and positive feedback so that your baby feels understood and loved.
Provide suitable alternatives: If your baby's behavior may be dangerous or uncomfortable, provide other safe ways to meet your baby's needs, such as giving appropriate toys or parent-child interactions to distract your baby.