ABC Medical Notes.com

Introduction

• Developmental milestones are behaviors or physical skills seen in infants and children as they grow and develop. Rolling over, crawling, walking, and talking are all considered milestones. The milestones are different for each age range.
• There is a normal range in which a child may reach each milestone. For example, walking may begin as early as 8 months in some children. Others walk as late as 18 months and it is still considered normal.
• One of the reasons for well-child visits to the health care provider in the early years is to follow your child's development. Most parents also watch for different milestones. Talk to your child's provider if you have concerns about your child's development.
• Closely watching a "checklist" or calendar of developmental milestones may trouble parents if their child is not developing normally. At the same time, milestones can help to identify a child who needs a more detailed check-up. Research has shown that the sooner the developmental services are started, the better the outcome. Examples of developmental services include: speech therapy, physical therapy, and developmental preschool.
• Below is a general list of some of the things you might see children doing at different ages. These are NOT precise guidelines. There are many different normal paces and patterns of development.

Two months

Physical

• Whilst laying on tummy, baby turns their head to the side
• Whilst laying on back, baby waves arms, legs and wiggles/squirms
• Briefly holds a toy when you place it in their hand
• Follows an object or person with both eyes

Communication

• Be able to make cooing sounds such as ‘aaah’, ‘gah’, ‘ooo’
• Baby smiles when spoken to
• When you talk to your baby, they make sounds back to you
• Cries when wet, hungry tired or wants to be held
• Eye to eye contact is deliberately maintained
• Turns to voices

Four months

Physical

• When laying on tummy, baby will hold their head straight up and look around
• When in a sitting position, baby will hold their head steady, without support
• Whilst laying on back, baby will bring hands together over the chest, touching their fingers
• When in a sitting position, baby should start to reach for a toy close by
• When baby has a toy in their hand, they will hold it whilst looking at it, waving it about and attempting to chew it

Communication

• When in front of a mirror, baby should smile or ‘coo’ at themselves
• Baby will be able to chuckle softly and/or laugh
• After you have been out of sight, baby will smile or get excited when they see you
• Baby will make sounds when looking at toys or people
• Baby will be able to make high pitched squeals

Six months

Physical

• Baby will roll from their back to their tummy
• Baby will be able to sit up with support
• Baby will be able to get into a crawling position
• Be able to grasp a toy using both hands at once
• Reach a small object using their finger and pick it up using their thumb and all fingers
• Be able to pick up a small toy with one hand and pass it to the other
• Plays with feet when laying on back

Communication

• Holds hands up to be lifted
• Makes sounds like ‘Da’, ‘ga’, ‘ka’
• Squeals and laughs
• Likes to look at themselves in a mirror

Nine months

Physical

• Sits without support
• Can get into sitting position from lying down
• Will pull to stand and take weight on feet
• May crawl
• Rolls over both ways

Communication

• Copy simple sounds
• Babbles making different sounds e.g. mamma
• Baby will when asked ‘Give it to me’ or ‘Put it back’
• Recognises family members
• Clingy to familiar adults
• Has a favourite toy

Twelve months

Physical

• Sits well and gets into sitting position alone
• Pulls to stand from sitting position and can sit down again
• Walks around furniture
• May crawl or bottom shuffle
• May stand alone
• Help turn the pages of a book
• Throw a small ball
• Be able to pick up a piece of string with first finger and thumb

Communication

• Points at objects
• Responds to own name
• When dressing, will hold out arm or foot to help
• Makes more meaningful sounds e.g. Mamma, Dadda

Eighteen months

Physical

• Walks well
• Can walk upstairs holding an adults hand
• Can stack blocks on top of each other
• Turn the page of a book
• Put a small in their mouth, right side up

Communication

• Says several single words
• Recognises and points to parts of the body
• Enjoys nursery rhymes and tries to join in
• Obeys simple commands, such as ‘bring me your shoes’

Two years old

Physical

• Tries to kick a ball
• Runs well
• Jumps with both feet leaving the floor at the same time
• Holds pencil by using thumb and first two fingers
• Can string small items such as beads, pasta onto a string
• Drinks from a cup with no lid

Communication

• Likes to pretend and role play
• Can name well known objects
• Correctly uses words like ‘I’, ‘Mine’ and ‘You’
• Will correctly put two – three words together

Three years old

Physical

• Will walk on tip toes when shown
• Walks upstairs with alternate feet, still puts both feet on each step when coming down
• Catches a large ball
• Pedals a tricycle
• Climbs walls

Communication

• Can say own name, age and sex
• Can say numbers up to 10
• Pretend play is more vivid
• Plays with other children and takes turns
• Understands and uses ‘You’, ‘Me’, ‘I’

Four years old

At around four years old you can expect your child to be able to do the following:

Physical

• Walks up and down stairs using alternate feet
• Good on a tricycle
• Hops and stands on one foot
• Can throw, catch and kick well
• Draws a person with recognisable body parts eg head, arms and legs
• Uses a fork and spoon well

 Communication

• Knows own first and last name
• Can sing several nursery rhymes
• Likes to listen to longer stories and will tell own stories
• Continues to ask lots of questions
• Takes turns and shares
• Shows sympathy to friends when hurt or upset

Five years old

At around five years old you can expect your child to be able to do the following:

Physical

• Can balance and stand on one foot for about 10 seconds
• Hops
• Dances
• Swings and climbs
• Slides down a slide
• Can now get dressed and undressed by self

Communication

• Speech is very clear
• Knows name, address and age
• Likes listening and telling stories
• May have best friend
• Sense of humour increasing
• Uses more imagination
• Shows more independence

School-age child -- 6 to 12 years

• Begins gaining skills for team sports such as soccer, T-ball, or other team sports
• Begins to lose "baby" teeth and get permanent teeth
• Girls begin to show growth of armpit and pubic hair, breast development
• Menarche (first menstrual period) may occur in girls
• Peer recognition begins to become important
• Reading skills develop further
• Routines important for daytime activities
• Understands and is able to follow several directions in a row

Adolescent -- 12 to 18 years

• Adult height, weight, sexual maturity
• Boys show growth of armpit, chest, and pubic hair; voice changes; and testicles/penis enlarge
• Girls show growth of armpit and pubic hair; breasts develop; menstrual periods start
• Peer acceptance and recognition is of vital importance
• Understands abstract concepts