My 8 week old doesn't look at me or smile at me

[Julesy1]

I wonder if anyone has any thoughts on this...
My 8 week old daughter doesn't seem to look at me or indeed smile yet. I am becoming increasingly obsessed by this and have googled myself into panic at the possibilities that this might mean - e.g. visual delayed maturation, blindness etc.
Does anyone have any similar experiences about noticing this in their child and what was the diagnosis?

She has her 8 week check with the GP tomorrow so of course I will mention it and see if he thinks she needs referring to a specialist but meanwhile I am driving myself wild with worry and it is affecting my appetite and is constantly on my mind....

One positive thing is that she does appear to notice the black and white mobile in her cot and she also constantly seems to look around her. It is almost as if she is distracted by looking around the whole time at the expense of me and other people - which is weird as aren't babies meant to be "fascinated by faces"?

Julesy

Hi Julesy, I am no expert but I do think that 8 weeks is a little young to be worrying so much about this. Babies all develop very differently, and at that age they still can't focus so well. Probably silly question, but do you bring your face close to hers and smile, coo etc? Is she making any noises herself? It may be that she is smiling but it's not what we recognise as a smile. I remember with my DD, the health visitor said that she was definitely smiling, but all I could see was the corner of her mouth slightly twitching! Of my nephews and nieces, some were very communicative from weeks old, and others were not, but it didn't seem to make any difference as they got older.

Do tell the GP all your concerns but try to remember also that your LO is very young, so try not to expect too much

Hi Julesy

The chances are that everything is OK - serious visual impairments are rare amongst children, and some babies seem to be less into looking at faces. What you're saying and your DDs age do sound fairly typical for parents who do find that their baby has a VI - although most say that their baby isn't 'fixing and following' anything, so if she's watching her mobile, that's a very positive sign. Even babies with much less serious VIs often appear blind when they're very young as normal babies see so little to begin with anyway.

You could also try seeing if she follows a lit torch, a shiny mirror or something large and brightly coloured wiggled in front of her eyes when she's in a good mood.

Frankly, I'm not sure that I would have spotted my DS's VI for most of his first year had it not been diagnosed by the doctors at birth, but he's partially sighted and differnt types of VI can present in very different ways.

Get a referral to an ophthalmologist as, if there is a problem, the sooner it's recognised and treated, the better (the brain needs to get lots of visual stimulation early on in life, especially in the first weeks and months). Also, if it's stressing you this much, you need to get it properly checked so you can relax.

Hi Julesy1,

my DS2 was very "slow" to see - he didn't smile for the first time till he was almost 3 months old. We got a referral to a ped neurologist and opthalmologist, and the op dxed delayed visual maturation, which meant for DS2 that there were no structural abnormalities to his eyes, but the messages weren't being transmitted properly.

The good news is that from about 4 months we could tell he was definitely starting to see (he was smiling, and tracking objects) and now at 10 months he is the happiest, smilingest baby there is.

All the best, it is such a worrying time,

Thanks for your responses. I actually took DD to Moorfields on Monday afternoon - they have a fantastic children's unit - and they saw us and said they thought it was delayed visual maturation as nothing obviously wrong but they cannot be sure as it is diagnosed fully in hindsight if the child then does see properly. As I thought, visit to the GP was very general and he would not have reassured me - so glad I saw the specialists.

She is starting to track the contrasting images of her book but still no interest in faces - and no smile at me.... she looks like she might try to smile sometimes at random things (like contrasting image in her pram bumper) - but it's just frustrating that she isn't smiling at me yet! But I am much more relaxed about it now!

It's great you were able to be seen at Moorfields so quickly (how did you manage that one?), and that they think it's DVM. Did you see Mr Reddy?

Hope it all sorts itself out soon enough, I know what you mean about it being frustrating with no smiles! I had to smile through gritted teeth at the mother at a coffee morning who said that her little boy is a text-booker - smiling at six weeks etc, etc, etc....

All the best,

It was Dr Ackroyd who we saw (and also a nurse, Mally, and an orthoptist too). It was a walk in service (on the NHS, not private) and I think I was a bit lucky as they had finished their clinic for the day and so the specialists were all free. Also, I think that with a baby and an anxious Mum, they are also quick to help.

So I was extremely impressed. It is also a new building that they are in and so the whole experience seems very good.

Thanks again for your messages! Julesy

How did things work out? My little one seems to study ceilings and follow black and white patterns. She does study my mouth but not much eye contact, she smiles and responds to me but worried she’s not seeing people tight in front if her?

Hi Leah1710 I just saw this as I have been trawling for information and thought I would message. Our DD is 6 weeks old and the HV has referred to an ophthalmologist as she can’t fix and follow items. She also doesn’t really look at us and while she smiles beautifully it is at the light or ceilings etc and not at us. We are desperately worried about the range of possible outcomes for her and the waiting for the appointment feels like torture. How old is your LO? Have you had your 8 week check yet? What does your HV say?

Hi Tryin4no2

Thanks for the message. My little one is 12 weeks but 9 weeks really, as she was born 3 weeks early. We have been referred to see eye specialist but waiting for an appointment. She can see black and white patterns, ceilings, lights and seems to smile at us when she’s lying on her changing table.
HV said there might just be a delay on her vision but I’m very concerned.

Sounds like there are a lot of positives in what she can do, but I totally get the concern - it’s so hard not to fear the worst even when the majority of cases turn out to be something minor or simply slightly delayed. Hope you get an appointment soon and that provides reassurance.