During the newborn period, which statement is true about development?

• A. They can see and hear at birth
• B. They can walk within a day
• C. They can regulate body temperature immediately
• D. They are unable to see or hear in the first weeks

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is that newborns have immature sensory systems. Vision at birth is very limited—things are blurry, and babies can only focus well at very short distances and on high-contrast patterns—so they don’t see clearly right away. Hearing, while present from birth, is not yet fully processed; babies respond to sounds and voices and show a preference for their caregiver’s voice, but interpreting and differentiating sounds develops over time. In the newborn period, other systems like temperature regulation and motor control are also immature, which is why rapid milestones like walking aren’t expected. So the statement that reflects the overall pattern—that sensory abilities are not yet fully developed in the first weeks—captures the idea, even though hearing begins from birth and becomes more refined with time.