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Baby's Developmental Milestones
From crawling to saying his first words, learning when to expect your baby's major developmental milestones can help you adjust to his changing needs.
by: Nancy Ripton
Developmental Milestones
- At birth, a baby can only see things at a distance of between nine and 14 inches.
- Ages four to six months are a huge time of social growth for your child.
- By six months, your baby shouldn't be sedantary for more than an hour at a time when awake. To encourage crawling, try placing interesting objects just out of reach.
- Talking to your baby is one of the best ways to encourage development.
- By one year, your baby will understand simple words, including his name.
e all want our kids to have the brains of Einstein, the coordination of Michael Jordan and the grace of a prima ballerina, but just because your baby reaches a milestone ahead of schedule doesn't mean he's headed for greatness. (If he's a little slower getting there, that's usually no biggie either.) Tracking milestones can be helpful in gauging appropriate playtime, providing a safe environment and exposing potential problems. Here's how to monitor your baby's progress:
What is a milestone?
Milestones are developmental stages that happen in all healthy children without having to be taught. They involve a range of skills including: communication, language, social, plus large and fine motor skills. Achieving a milestone a few weeks late is completely normal, but if your child misses a milestone by a month, you should see a pediatrician. Chances are nothing is wrong but, in rare cases, missed milestones can help you recognize developmental problems that benefit from early diagnosis.Why tracking milestones is important
Toy and activity guidelines often have large age generalizations and every child's development is unique. "Once you know where your child is at, you'll be able to stimulate him more appropriately," says Dr. Jennifer Trachtenberg, author of Good Kids Bad Habits. By paying attention to your child's physical and mental progress you'll be better equipped to choose appropriate play activities.There's also a safety factor in recognizing milestones. "Parents need to be ahead of the game to prevent accidents," says Dr. Carol Cooper, author of Baby Milestones. Once your child is pushing up on his hands while on his tummy and sitting with support, crawling isn't far off. Knowing the order of milestones helps you make safety changes to your home just before you need them.
Major Milestone: Neck strength
Is your baby strong enough to hold his head high? Tummy time can help build neck support in the early months. Aim for two or more short sessions a day, but never force your baby to keep the position.Major Milestone: Coordination
Bringing both hands together at chest height happens around three to four months and is a prerequisite for being able to pass an object back and forth. To help build this skill, play repetitive nursery rhymes that engage hand movement, such as pat-a-cake.Major Milestone: Sight
Vision is one of the first milestones. At birth, your baby can only see things at a distance of between nine and 14 inches. By one month, vision increases to one to two feet and by three months, a baby can see between six and eight feet.
The best milestones for vision testing is to see if your baby gazes at you and whether they can track an object from side-to-side. You can assist your baby with the tracking skill by holding a bright object eight to 10 inches in front of his face. Slowly move the object back and forth to encourage your child to follow the item with his eyes.
Major Milestone: Crawling
"By six months your child shouldn't be sedentary for more than an hour at a time when awake," says Dr. Trachtenberg. Do things to help him crawl or bum shuffle, such as rolling toys away from him or placing interesting objects just out of reach. By nine months your child should be able to look for a hidden or dropped object. You can assist your baby's memory by letting him play with an object first, then hiding it.Major Milestone: First words
By one year, your baby will start to understand simple words, including their name. "Always use eye contact when talking with your baby and leave pauses for his response," says Dr. Cooper. Sign language can also be a great way to help them communicate, although it is not necessary. Babies know what they want before they can verbalize it. "It may make your child less frustrated if he can sign for something," says Dr. Trachtenberg.
Meet our experts:
Dr. Carol Cooper, author of Baby Milestones
Dr. Jennifer Trachtenberg, author of Good Kids Bad Habits
