ON THE ONSET OF EYE HEAD COORDINATION IN INFANTS

Head movements have been studied in newborns, during a visual pursuit and in relation with ocular movements, in order to know whether head movements help the ocular activity or impede it. The infants were tested three times during the first month of life. They were placed in a seated position, with the head held upright, but free to move. The results provided evidence that eyes and head were directionally coupled at as early as 2 weeks and that the interval between eye and head rotation decreases from the age of 2-4 weeks. This suggests that the beginnings of ocular-motor coordination are present from the first month of life in human infants.