Final answer:
By six months, infants typically develop the ability to pick up objects and transfer them from hand to hand, begin teething, which is important for chewing, and show improvements in vision and depth perception aiding in accurate reaching for food. These developmental milestones support the start of self-feeding skills.
Step-by-step explanation:
By the time an infant reaches six months of age, they typically have developed several feeding skills. At this stage, infants are able to pick up objects, which can include food items, and transfer them from hand to hand, indicating the beginnings of hand-to-mouth coordination necessary for self-feeding. This is also the age when many babies begin to exhibit the ability to enjoy and process more complex tastes, as they may start solid foods in conjunction with breast milk or formula.
The physical developments that accompany these feeding skills include the emergence of deciduous teeth or baby teeth, which typically begins around six months. The teething process can lead to increased drooling, and babies may want to bite on objects to help relieve gum discomfort. Though not fully developed in their motor skills, six-month-old infants show increasing control of their fingers, making it possible to grasp small objects such as soft foods or teething biscuits.
Furthermore, the infant’s improved vision and depth perception at this age support their ability to see the food and reach for it accurately, which is crucial for developing the fine motor skills necessary for later stages of self-feeding. It’s also a time when infants continue to refine the suck, swallow, and breathe sequence essential for safe feeding.