An online news report once covered a heartbreaking incident: a pair of parents, engrossed in giving their baby a bath, failed to notice that the child was lying face up the entire time, with eyes directly exposed to the intense light from the ceiling heater, ultimately leading to the baby’s blindness. This has sparked concerns about the lighting safety for infants and toddlers, when exactly can infants and toddlers adapt to normal lighting?
Some parents worry about strong sunlight in the summer and choose to keep the curtains closed even during the day, but this may confuse the child’s day and night cycles, affecting their biological clock. The correct approach is to keep moderate daylight, and if the light is too strong, adjust the baby’s resting position or partially cover the windows to ensure the baby can peacefully sleep under natural daylight instead of creating a completely dark environment.
When it comes to indoor lighting, table lamps are a popular choice for many families due to their soft light, but having them on for long periods is not conducive to a child’s nighttime rest. Studies show that continuous dim light can lower the quality of a baby’s sleep and increase nighttime waking frequency. Therefore, the use of table lamps at night should be moderate, and if not essential, they should be turned off as much as possible to ensure the baby’s deep sleep.
To protect the vision of infants and toddlers, attention should also be paid to the following points: when outdoors, have the baby wear a sun hat or lightly cover their eyes during naps to reduce strong light exposure. At home, adjust the opening and closing of curtains flexibly, vary the degree of light obstruction based on seasonal changes, and there is no need to excessively block sunlight during mild autumn and winter seasons.
As for the need for nighttime lighting, soft lighting can be used during infancy, the key is to choose non-glaring light sources and avoid prolonged direct exposure for the baby. Parents should try to turn off lights when feasible, avoid overnight lighting, to foster good sleep habits for the baby and protect their delicate eyes.
