Developmental milestones are things or activities that most children can do by a certain age. While all children develop at their own pace most milestones are reached around the same age, or age range. Developmental milestones are a great way for a parent and pediatrician to follow a child’s developmental health. Milestones are often broken down into 4 categories – communication/language, gross and fine motor, social/emotional, and problem-solving.
Common Milestones by Age:
Newborn
- Makes brief eye contact
- Cry with discomfort and calms to adult voice
- Turns head side to side when on tummy
- Hold hand/fingers closed
1 month
- Calms down when soothed
- Makes brief short new sounds
- Holds chin up when on tummy
- Opens fingers occasionally at rest
- Reacts to loud or unexpected noises
2 months
- Looks at parents face
- Makes brief cooing sounds
- Smiles when talked to or smiles back at you (social smile)
- Watches you as you move
- Able to hold their head up when on their tummy
4 months
- Smiles to get your attention
- Laughs out load
- Turns their head toward your voice
- Able to hold their head steady without support when held upright
- Brings their hands to the mouth
- Pushes up on their elbows and forearms when on the tummy
- Rolls from tummy to back
- Keeps hands open and plays with fingers
6 months
- Begins to turn when their name is called
- Babbles
- Rolls over from back to tummy
- Sits briefly without support
- Reaches for objects and moves them between hands
- Bangs small toys/object
9 months
- Starts using gestures (waving bye-bye, holding arms up when wanting to be picked up)
- Looks for dropped objects
- Feeds self with fingers using the whole hand
- Begings saying Mama or Dada non-specifically
- Sits well without support
- Pull up to standing position while holding onto something
- Balances on hands and knees, crawls
12 months
- Looks for hidden objects
- Starts imitating gestures from parents
- Says Dad or Mom with meaning
- Uses one other word beside Mom, Dad, or other names
- Follows verbal commands that include gestures
- Takes first steps and stands without support
- Picks up small objects with pincer grip (thumb and finger)
It is important to remember that all children will not meet every milestone in the exact age range discussed above. These are however the most common age at which children achieve these milestones and a good guide to track development.
Your pediatrician will be following development and milestones at all routine well baby visits.
If your child is not meeting most of the milestones for an age category make sure to discuss it with your pediatrician during these visits.
Resources:
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/index.html
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/health-management/Pages/Milestones-Matter.aspx
