The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-05-06
THE GROWTH OF A CHILD.
Interesting Observations fn tho Pay
chOIOgical study Of Infants.

Interesting Observations I'm tho Fey
Geological study Of Infants.
The Medical Record reproduces the
leading features of the studies OF Prof
w. Preyer, of Jena, in O field as yet al
most unbroken-that is, in the psyche
logical study of infants. This study be-
gins, the professor says, with the obser-
vation of the movements and sensations
of child, and then proceeds to note the
development of the different senses, the
formation of speech, ETC., and the effect
of all these things In awakening the IN
telligence. The first manifestation OF
voluntary motion occurs about the four
teenth week, when the infant begins to.
hold up its head. After four months the
head is usually balanced well, and at ten
months the power to sit up Is acquired.
Ability to stand was usually, in the
cases studied by the professor, gained
suddenly at the end of the first year.
The first grasping motion of the hand In
the first quarter year Is entirely reflex
and mechanical, the first voluntary at
tempt to take hold of an object not being.
noticed before the seventeenth week. A
child does not show self-consciousness, q
knowledge of its independent existence,
until the second quarter of the second
year. The sensibility of the skin OF a
newborn child is very low, and it will
give nosigns of discomfort if it be pricked
on the nose, or lips, or hands. The eyes,
too, close slowly when touched, and do.
not close at all in the bath. An increase
of sensibility, however, appears In day
or two after birth.
All infants are deaf ut birth. because
the outer ear is closed and there is as
yet no air in the middle ear. A response
TO strong sound Is observed at the
earliest III six hours, but often not
for day or two. The awakening of the
sense may be detected by the blinking
which loud noise occasions. No other
organ is thought to contribute to the in
tellectual development of the child 80
much as the ear. The first perceptions
are those of light. The infant shuts its
eyes as soon as light enters them; within
week il turns its glance to the window,
but it is three weeks before the eyes
will follow light moved before them.
The stupid expression on the child's
face does not leave it until the second
quarter year, and the face grows more
human and spirited with the increase of
the power of seeing intelligently. The
power to distinguish colors follows that
of intelligent attention, and light and
bright colors are preferred, but the
power to distinguish them by name does
not come until the beginning OF the third
year. The recognition of form, size and
distance comes slowly. In the first
month the infant pays no attention to
the swift approach of the persons hand
to its face, and In the third year it will
show ignorance of size and no apprecia-
ton of distance. The professor set
down in writing every sound uttered by
child during its first two years, and
which could be 30 represented.
At first only vowels are heard, but
even in the first five weeks these sounds
are so diversified as to express different
feelings. Thus, the professor says, the
periodically broken cry, with knit eyes,
denotes hunger; the continuous whine,
cold, and the high, penetrating tone,
pain. The consonant IN was heard in the
seventh week, and in the seventh month,
b, d, N, v, and, rarely. g, h and k were
distinguished. Its perfect limitations of
sound were heard in the sixth month,
and at this time voices began to be dis.
tinguished by the child. Great progress
is made in the imitation of sounds after
the third half year, and the powers
of articulation become well developed by
the fourth half year.