RL.A.1 RESPONDS TO SOUND WITH A STARTLE OR CHANGE IN BEHAVIOUR

This is a developmental milestone, used in most assessments to determine whether a certain level of development has been reached. It usually requires no special teaching. If a child continues beyond the first few weeks of life to show no response at all to sound, professional evaluation should be sought.

While there is no need for special teaching, it is a good idea to make a habit, right from the beginning, of introducing your child to different sounds – not (except for assessment purposes) to startle her, but to gently increase her awareness of the sounds around her.

How to Assess

Materials: A bell, or a loud rattle, with a medium to low pitch.

Method: When your child is fully awake and lying on her back, shake the bell or rattle nearby but out of her sight. You may give several tries.

Your child may indicate awareness of the sound by blinking her eyes or by stiffening her body slightly, or by changing her body movements. She may start to cry, or if she was crying to start with, she may stop crying.

You can also assess this item by watching your child closely when the phone rings or the door bangs.

Score plus is your child shows her awareness of the sound in any of the ways described above.