Looking at the list of ways to cultivate empathy in early childhood development that are included in these articles, I am shocked that it doesn’t mention anything about early facial recognition. Another way babies learn empathy is by watching your facial expressions. This is one of the reasons that baby’s are meant to be held in arms, early on, they can focus between 8-15 inches away…the distance of being in your arms and looking at your face.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/ashoka/2013/04/29/8-ways-to-cultivate-empathy-in-kids/