By Health Writer
Unborn babies start to understand their mothers even while they are still in the womb.
According to researchers, children start to understand their mothers even before birth - and parents must realise early on that their actions affect babies.
Now, to help parents understand their children's development needs and capabilities, a Cape Town child specialist has developed a DVD.
Professor Astrid Berg, an associate professor in the division of child and adolescent psychiatry at UCT and Red Cross Children's Hospital, said parents often assumed the role of parenthood without realising that their actions could affect their children in the future.
The 20-minute DVD, which is called Together from the Beginning, was launched at Red Cross Children's Hospital yesterday.
It answers complex questions from a child's point of view, and has been produced in three languages.
The DVD will be made available to primary, secondary and tertiary health care facilities. Berg said the idea came after years of work with parents and infants in the community and at Red Cross.
"Over the years it has become clear that parents often do not have up-to-date information regarding their infants' capabilities.
"They believe babies are too young to understand what is going on around them, and that they are thus not affected by these events or happenings," she said.
Berg added that research had shown that shortly after birth infants were ready to take in the world around them, and that their brain growth was at its maximum during the first 18 months of life.
"This (stage) is also when the child is most vulnerable to adverse events happening," she said.
The DVD was intended for waiting rooms, but was also suitable for teaching.
It shows how three infants, at three different developmental stages, respond to their environment.