The first year of life is critical to a child's development. However, parents'do not panic if your child is not developing typically. Instead, just be aware of the age-appropriate milestones and take note if your child is falling behind in a particular area. It is advisable that you contact an Early Intervention Program (EIP) for developmental assessments and services if your child appears to be delayed in one or more areas.
A Note about 'Tummy-time': Babies do not spend enough time on their stomachs because Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is a concern. Parents, you may hear 'tummy-time' mentioned by occupational therapists or other professions. It is important that your baby spend time on his/her stomach (prone position) because it helps develop:
Upper body muscles like the shoulders, hands and fingers.
Sensory input to the arms and frontal areas of the body
Motor skills of the eyes as it provides opportunities for looking around
DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES 1 TO 3 MONTHS
Movement skills
Stretches legs out when lying on stomach or back (2-3 months)
Opens and shuts hands (2-3 months)
Raises head and chest when lying on stomach (3 months)
Supports upper body with arms when lying on stomach (3 months)
Pushes down on his legs when his feet are placed on firm surface (3 months)
Visual skills
Watches face intently (2-3 months)
Follows moving objects (2-3 months)
Recognizes familiar objects and people at a distance (3 months)
Starts using hands and eyes in coordination (3 months)
Hearing and Speech Skills
Pays attention to sound (1-3 months)
Startles to loud noise (1-3 months)
Smiles at the sound of a voice (2-3 months)
Vocal play begins and makes cooing sounds (3 months)
Social/Emotional Skills
Begins to develop a social smile (1-3 months)
Enjoys playing with others and may cry when playing stops (2-3 months)
Starts to communicate and express with face and body (2-3 months)
Imitates some movements and facial expressions
AREAS OF CONCERN (RED FLAGS)
1 TO 3 MONTHS, If your child does not:
Respond to loud noises
Follow moving objects with eyes by 2 to 3 months
Smile at the sound of your voice by 2 months
Grasp and hold objects by 3 months
Smile at people by 3 months
Support his head well at 3 months
Reach for and grasp toys by 3 to 4 months
Bring objects to his mouth by 4 months
Push down with legs when his feet are placed on a firm surface, like a table by 4 months
Move one or both eyes in all directions
DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES 4 TO 7 MONTHS
Movement Skills
While lying on stomach, pushes up by straightening arms (5 months)
Pulls to sitting with no head lag (5 months)
Sits by using hands for support (5-6 months)
Sits without support for short periods (6-8 months)
Supports his/her whole weight on legs (6-7 months)
Grasps feet (6 months)
Transfers object from hand to hand (6-7 months)
Uses hand like a rake to grasp (6 months)
Visual Skills
Tracks moving objects with ease (4-7 months)
Looks for toy (5-6 months), fallen toys (5-7 months)
Grasps objects dangling in front of him (5-6 months)
Cognitive Skills
Explores with hands and mouth (4-7 months)
Struggles to get objects that are out of reach (5-7 months)
Finds partially hidden objects (6-7 months)
Social/Emotional Skills
Enjoys social play (4-7 months)
Responds to other people's expression of emotion (4-7 months)
Interested in mirror images (5-7 months)
Language Skills
Responds to sound by making sounds (4-6 months)
Uses voice to express joy and displeasure (4-6 months)
Distinguishes emotions by tone of voice (4-7 months)
Syllable repetitions begins (5-7 months)
AREAS OF CONCERN (RED FLAGS)
4 to 7 MONTHS
Seems very stiff, tight muscles
Seems very floppy, like a rag doll
Continue to see head still flop back when body is pulled to sitting position at 5 months
Does not bear some weight on legs by 5 months
Does not roll over (stomach to back) by 6 months
Cannot sit with help by six months (not by themselves)
Has difficulty getting objects to her mouth
Does not actively reach for objects by 6 months
Does not follow objects with both eyes
One or both eyes consistently turn in or out
Does not turn his head to locate sounds by 4 months
Does not laugh or make squealing sounds by 5 months
Shows no affection for the person who cares for him/her
Does not seem to enjoy being around people
DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES 8 TO 12 MONTHS
Movement Skills
Gets to sitting position without assistance (8-12 months)
Gets from sitting to crawling or onto stomach (prone)
Crawls forward on belly
Assumes hand and knee position and creeps
Pulls self up to a standing position
Walks while holding onto furniture
Stands momentarily without holding on
May walk 2 or 3 steps without support
Hand and finger skills
Uses thumb and index finger to grasp small objects (pincer grasp) (7-10 months)
Bangs two cubes together
Puts into and takes out objects from a container (10-12 months)
Pokes with index finger
Tries to imitate scribbling
Finger feeding himself (8-12 months)
Extends arm or leg to help when being dressed
Cognitive Skills
Explores objects in many different ways, such as shaking, banging, throwing, dropping (8-10 months)
Finds hidden objects easily (10-12 months)
Imitates gestures (9-12 months)
Looks at correct picture when image is named
Social/Emotional Skills
Shy or anxious with strangers (8-12 months)
Cries when mother or father leaves'Separation anxiety (8-12 months)
Shows specific preferences for certain people and toys (8-12 months)
Prefers mother and/or regular care provider over all others (8-12 months)
Enjoys imitating people in play (10-12 months)
Repeats sounds or gestures for attention (10-12 months)
Language Skills
Makes simple gestures such as shaking head for 'No' (8-12 months)
Babbles with inflection (8-10 months)
Babbles 'Dada' and 'Mama' (8-10 months)
Says 'Dada' and 'Mama' for a specific person (11-12 months)
Responds to 'No' and simple verbal requests
Uses exclamations such as 'Oh-Oh'
AREAS OF CONCERN (RED FLAGS)
8 TO 12 MONTHS
Does not crawl or drags one side of body while crawling (for over one month)
Does not sit steadily by 10 months
Cannot stand when supported
Does not search for objects that are hidden (10-12 months)
Does not learn to use gestures such as waving or shaking head
Does not babble by 8 months ('Mama', 'Baba', 'Dada')
Does not show interest in Peek-A-Boo or Patty Cake by 8 months
DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES 12 TO 24 MONTHS
Movement Skills
Walks alone (12-16 months)
Pulls toys behind him/her while walking (13-16 months)
Begins to run stiffly (16-18 months)
Carries large toy or several toys while walking (16-24 months)
Climbs onto and down from furniture unsupported (16-24 months)
Walks up and down stairs holding on for support (18-24 months)
Hand and Finger Skills
Scribbles spontaneously (14-16 months)
Turns over container to pour out contents (12-18 months)
Snips with scissors in one place (18 to 23 months)
Building tower of four to six blocks (20-24 months)
Cognitive Skills
Finds objects even when hidden under two or three covers
Begins to sort shapes and colors (20-24 months)
Begins make believe play (20-24 months)
Social/Emotional Skills
Episodes of separation anxiety begin to fade
Imitates behavior or others, especially adults and other children (18-24 months)
Demonstrates more independence (18-24 months
Begins to show defiant behavior (18-24 months)
Show more enthusiasm about company or other children (20-24 months)
Repeats words overheard in conversations (16-18 months)
Says several single words (15- 18 months)
Points to object or picture when it is named (18-24 months)
Recognizes names of familiar people, objects, and body parts (18-24 months)
Uses two-word sentences (18-24 months)
AREAS OF CONCERN (RED FLAGS)
12 TO 24 MONTHS
Cannot walk by 18 months
Fails to develop a mature heel-toe walking pattern after several months of walking or walks exclusively on his toes
Does not seem to know the function of common household objects such as, brush, telephone, fork and spoon by 15 months
Does not speak at least 15 words by 18 months
Does not use two-word sentences by age 24 months
Does not imitate actions or words by 24 months
Does not follow simple one-step instructions by 24 months
DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES 24 TO 36 MONTHS
Movement Skills
Bends over easily without falling (24-30 months)
Walks down stairs alone, placing both feet on each step (26-28 months)
Walks up stairs alternating feet with support (24-30 months)
Swings leg to kick ball (24-30 months)
Runs easily (24-26 months)
Climbs well (24-36 months)
Pedals tricycle (30-36 months)
Hand and Finger Skills
Turns book pages one at a time (24-30 months)
Builds a tower or more than six blocks (24-30 months)
Screws and unscrews jar lids, nuts, and bolts (24-30 months)
Cuts small fringes in 1 inch strip (24 to 35 months)
Cuts 6-inch paper in half (30 to 35 months)
Holds a pencil in writing position (30-36 months)
Forms vertical, horizontal, circular strokes with pencil or crayon (30-36 months)
Cognitive Skills
Matches an object to one held in hand or a room to a picture in a book (24-36 months)
Plays make believe with dolls, animals, and people (24-36 months)
Completes 3 or 4-piece puzzles (24-36 months)
Understands concept of 'two' (26- 32 months)
Sorts objects by color (30-36 months)
Makes mechanical toys work (30-36 months)
Social/ Emotional
Separates easily from parents by 36 months
Expresses a wide range of emotions (24-36 months)
Objects to major changes in routine (24-26 months)
Language Skills
Understands most sentences (24-40 months)
Uses pronouns I, you, me, we, and they (24-30 months)
Recognizes and identifies almost all common objects and pictures (26-32 months)
Understands physical relationship such as, on, in and under (30-36 months)
Can say name, age, and sex (30-36 months)
Strangers can understand most of his/her words (30-36 months)
AREAS OF CONCERN (RED FLAGS)
24 TO 36 MONTHS
Frequent falling and difficulty with stairs
Inability to build a tower of more than four blocks
Difficulty handling small objects
Inability to copy a circle by age 3
Does not understand simple instructions
Does not engage in pretend play
Little interest in other children
Extreme difficulty separating from primary caregiver
Inability to communicate in short phrases
Persistent drooling or very unclear speech
Early Intervention Services conclude by age three. This does not mean that your child does not continue to require services or may need services if he or she is having difficulty performing age-appropriate activities. Your child may be eligible for services in the school setting.
DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES 3 TO 4 YEARS
Movement (By the end of age 3)
Hops and stands on one foot up to 5 seconds
Goes upstairs and down stairs without support
Kicks ball forward
Throws ball overhead and catches bounced ball most of the time
Uses riding toys
Hand and finger skills (by the end of age 3)
Copies square shape
Draws circles and squares
Begins to copy some capital letters
Draws can a person with 2 to 4 body parts
Uses scissors
Can feed self with spoon
Cognitive Skills (by the end of age 3)
Correctly names some colors
Understands the concept of counting and may know a few numbers
Begins to have a clearer sense of time
Follows three-step commands
Recalls parts of a story
Understands the concept of same/different
Understands concept of 'I can make things happen'
Social/Emotional Skills (by the end of age 3)
Interested in new experiences
Plays cooperatively with other children
Plays 'Mom' or 'Dad'
More inventive in fantasy play
Dresses and undresses
Uses a toilet
More independent
Often cannot distinguish between fantasy and reality
May have imaginary friends or see monsters
Language Skills (by the end of age 3)
Speaks clearly enough for strangers to understand
Understands the concepts of 'same' and 'different'
Speaks 5 to 6 word sentences
Asks questions
Has mastered some basic rules of grammar
Tells stories
AREAS OF CONCERN (RED FLAGS)
3 TO 4 YEARS
Cannot jump in place
Cannot ride a tricycle
Does not grasp a crayon between thumb and fingers
Has difficulty scribbling
Cannot copy a circle
Cannot stack 4 to 8 blocks
Does not engage in fantasy play
Shows no interest in interactive game
Ignores other children
Still clings or cries when parents leave
Doesn't respond to people outside of family
Resists dressing, sleeping, using a toilet
Lashes out without any self-control when angry or upset
