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Development & Milestones for Infants (Birth - 12 months)
Development & Milestones for Infants (Birth - 12 months)
Your Baby's First Year
80% of Your Child's Brain Develops by Age Three
It’s during this first year that your baby’s brain begins to develop memory, language, thinking and reasoning skills. They learn by reaching out and exploring their world. They listen to you and begin to understand what names you use for people and things. They also learn love and trust from the way you cuddle, hold and play with them.
Steps Milestone Checklists
The small steps you take now make a big difference in your child’s future success. The Steps Milestone Checklists for baby’s first year contains things most babies do by this age in the following areas:
- Social & emotional development
- Language & communications development
- Cognitive development (learning, thinking, problem solving)
- Movement & physical development
- Plus, things to watch out for that might need a doctor’s attention
Checklists
2-Month Checklist
Milestones include:
- Turns head towards sounds
- Pays attention to faces
- Begins to act bored (cries, fussy) if activity doesn’t change
- Can hold head up
4-Month Checklist
Milestones include:
- Begins to babble
- Reaches for toy with one hand
- Holds head steady, unsupported
- May be able to roll over from tummy to back
6-Month Checklist
Milestones include:
- Responds to sounds by making sounds
- Begins to sit without support
- Looks around at things nearby
9-Month Checklist
Milestones include:
- Understands “no”
- Plays peek-a-boo
- Uses fingers to point at things
- Crawls
12-Month Checklist
Milestones include:
- Says words like mama, dada and uh-oh
- Starts to use things correctly
- Pulls up to stand
- Follows simple directions
CDC Milestone Tracker App
At this stage of life, a baby’s development changes greatly from month to month. For an easy way to keep track of when your baby should reach certain milestones, download the free Center for Disease Control (CDC) Milestone Tracker app. The app also includes activities and learning tips for each age and an area where you can keep track of all your doctor appointments.
Children develop at different rates
Although most children learn to do things and reach specific milestones by a certain age, not all do. Different children develop at different rates.
If you suspect your child is behind, has a development delay or physical issues that hold him back, don’t delay. The sooner you get help, the faster your child will be able to cope with whatever challenge he faces.
Early On Michigan
Early On Michigan can help you give your child her best chance for success. Find out more. Call 1-800-EARLY-ON (327-5966) and we’ll work with you to evaluate her current development and figure out the next steps.
Reading to your child
Reading to your child early and often helps them develop in many ways