Developmental milestones are easily identifiable age-specific skills that a baby can perform, such as rolling over, sitting up, walking, etc. The developmental milestones are only a guide. Babies will most likely follow the same progression through these milestones. No two babies are exactly alike and each baby grows at her own rate. Therefore, mothers should not compare their child’s growth with that of any other child. Some of the age-specific developmental milestones are as follows:
1. From one to three months:
Babies begin to coo and make vowel-like sounds between six weeks and three months of age. A baby’s eyes still wander and can sometimes cross. They make jerky, shaky movements with their arms and try to bring their hands closer to their faces. Newborns usually keep their hands in a clenched fist state. They can focus on objects as far as 8 to 12 inches away. They can recognize some sounds, including the voice of their parents.
2. From three to six months:
Babies at six months old can smile at the sound of their parents’ voices and love to look at faces up close. They try to raise their head and chest when lying on their stomach. Towards the end of six months, babies begin to babble and imitate some sounds. Some babies can roll over at three months, but most can roll over by five or six months. Some have not mastered it for seven or eight months. They are all completely normal. These milestones are just one way to see the progress of a child’s growth.
3. From six to nine months:
Most babies start crawling between 7 and 9 months of age, but some babies skip crawling altogether and learn to stand and walk first. Most babies can sit without a support cushion between five and seven months. At nine months of age. Babies at this age babble strings of consonants like pa-pa-pa-pa or ba-ba-ba-ba. The first tooth develops between four and eight months of age.
4. Nine to Twelve Months:
At that time, babies can sit up properly without any help. Some babies by the end of 11 or 12 months walk by holding on to objects such as furniture and possibly a few steps without support. They try to imitate words and love to get up to their feet. They begin to use simple gestures, such as shaking their heads to indicate “no” or waving their hand to say goodbye. The average age to start walking is 12-13 months, but there are many children who do not take their first steps until 16-18 months.
A baby’s health care provider will assess the baby’s development at each visit. Contact a health professional if you have concerns about delayed development in a baby. However, these baby milestones help us understand the growth of a baby; one should not rely on these entirely.