Infancy is one of the most important times in a person’s life. From those fundamental first 18 hours after birth to the very first year, one incurs a myriad of changes and developments. As your baby progresses to their first birthday, you will see a transformation from a helpless infant to a dependent young child able to stand, sit, and even walk a few feet on their own. Since your baby can not express how they are feeling, it will be up to you to decide how they are developing. Keep in mind that this is not a definitive guide; developing at a different pace is normal, and as long as your child is healthy, a little bit of a late start never hurt anybody. There are certain signs of problems associated developmental lag, however, and they will be addressed. If you have any concerns about your child’s development, a free assessment should be available in most states. Contact your child’s primary care physician if you have any questions or concerns.
The first developmental milestone you should notice is your child’s ability to roll over. This usually happens from 2 to 4 1/2 months after birth. This normally occurs sometime after they are able to lift their head and chest with arm support. Besides physical milestones, your child will also experience visual, audio, and psychological developments at this stage. These include: following moving objects visually, recognizing objects of familiarity, turning their head to sounds, and imitating facial expressions. If your child has not shown interest in their hands or in others’ voices, or they aren’t able to follow object visually by 2 or 3 months, contact your doctor. Also, if they do not babble or support their own head by 3 or 4 months, or they cross their eyes constantly (occasional eye crossing is normal) you should also contact your doctor. Some of these symptoms could point to hearing or vision problems, which can be checked at the hospital before you take your baby home. If you have a family history of such problems, ask your doctor about possible testing.
The second milestone is the ability to sit up without support. This usually happens between 5 and 8 months after birth. This is also the time in which the most important changes will happen during infancy. By this time, your child will be able to roll both ways, sit with/out support from their hands, and transfer objects from one hand to the other. They will also be responsive to their own name and to “no”, they will use different tones to exemplify moods, and will babble consonants. If by six months, your child has not yet been able to roll on either side, smile spontaneously, sit with help, or laugh and squeal, be sure to contact your doctor.
The third milestone is the ability to stand with support. This usually occurs from 5 to 10 months of age. They will also be experiencing a sense of adventure, and will be putting everything in to their mouths. They will also be able to reach and support their head at this time. If by 7 or 8 months, your child has not yet been able to bear some weight on their legs, attract others’ attention through actions, babble, or if they show no interest in games of peek-a-boo, contact your care physician.
If your child has reached the forth milestone, they will be able to pull themselves up to stand. This can happen between 6 and 10 months. You will notice them taking a special interest in sturdy object roughly their same height, and now the sense of adventure and curiosity is very strong within them. At this same time, they should be able to sit themselves upright with out assistance. You may also notice your child walking along furniture, standing momentarily without support, and even walking a few steps without falling. They will also be more interested in speech and vocal patterns, imitating noises and sounds more often as well as responding to vocal requests or commands and using exclamatory statements such as “uh-oh!” or “sorry!” Their first words come at this time as well, usually “mama” or “dada.” If your child does not stand whilst supported, search for hidden objects, or does not mutter singular word phrases, it could be a sign of a problem. Contact your doctor for more information.
The fifth milestone is crawling. This happens between 6 and 12 months. Now that your infant has learned this trait, they will be off like lightning, getting in to every nook and cranny they can find. They will be more apt to explore the different attributes of the world around them, shaking, throwing, tasting, and dropping everything they get a hold of. They will also begin to show a specific preference for toys they like, as well as for their mother or care giver. By now, they can give themselves finger foods as well, and will even begin to imitate correct usage of items such as cups and phone receivers. If your child is not able to crawl of use simple gestures by the end of their first year, contact your doctor for more details.
Though it can be strenuous and often times difficult, infancy is a wonderful time. No other time in a person’s life does the body and mind grow so rapidly. With the patience and love of a dedicated parent, it will prove to be the most productive time it can be.
