I don't mean this as a specific comment on this photograph, but this whole style of ultra-shallow depth of field creeps me out.
It's like there's a soft fuzzy out of focus world out there, made of creamy buttery bokeh or whatever, and then, suddenly, LURCHING OUT OF THE MIST there comes this little CHILD with soft perfect skin and glittering shiny eyes and hair so sharp - at least in the plane of focus - I could use it to garrote a parrot. AIG I say, a SMALL CHILD. AIG.
Partly it's just using a good lens cranked way open. Partly I feel like it's a fairly heavy application of sharpening or "clarity" or whatever -- something that increases local contrast in some fashion. Is there some sort of ghastly "child portrait" preset or action that everyone is using these days to make all the kids look terrifying?