The Alarm Distress Baby Scale (ADBB), trialled in two NHS trusts with funding from the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, was used with babies aged six-to-eight weeks to observe social behaviours, such as eye contact, facial expression, vocalisation, activity levels and how they connect with the people and world around them.
In an evaluation report published by the Institute of Health Visiting and The University of Oxford, researchers say that it is ‘normal’ for babies to use withdrawal behaviours such as looking away, closing eyes and sneezing to control the pace of social engagement.
However, sustained social withdrawal behaviours could suggest an ‘early alarm signal’ for relational challenges and a ‘coping mechanism’ that babies may use if their initial protests are not responded.
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