宝宝思维探秘（在线收听）

To many parents, babies are a wonderful mystery. Who knows what lurks in their tiny heads and what they are doing with their flailing arms? Well, researchers now say that from the eyes of an infant, parents are just as mysterious and confusing. A study comparing the eye movements and attention spans of a one-year-old baby to both adults and 6-month-olds finds that infants younger than a year can not predict what another person is trying to do. But by 12 months, infants are just as good as adults at guessing simple actions of those around them.

For example, if mummy picks up a favorite toy, young infants can't guess that she is about to hand it over even if mummy has given it to them a million times before. Even with familiar faces and situations, young babies can not really understand when people are trying to help them. Their brains simply don't have enough wiring yet to predict what is coming next. This knowledge may not solve all of a new parent's questions, but it may help them understand a little bit better why children do what they do.

With this Medical Minute, I'm Dr. Timothy Johnson.