[The beginnings of the kiss in infants during the first year].

In the first year certain forms of "early beginnings of the kiss" can be recognized. Quite early on in this period various buccal activities are observed in response to kisses given to him. As for those kisses given by the baby, or so perceived by the adult, an important stage begins with progressive differentiations. One of these phases corresponds, when the pleasure of feeling and using the gums and teeth is felt, to an ambivalence of these preliminary shapes of kisses such as the "bite-kiss". The baby's early observed attraction to the adult's mouth can result, around the age of one year, in quick passing "mouth to mouth" observations which are not yet "kisses" but a kind of one to one correspondence. This new form combines with other modalities such as gaze and hugging which have already been tried as means of exchanging emotions and feelings. It is only several months later that it will have its definite diversified form and its own special meaning.