Developmental Milestones

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Developmental Milestones in the First 2 Yr of Life

MILESTONE AVERAGE AGE OF ATTAINMENT (MO) DEVELOPMENTAL IMPLICATIONS
GROSS MOTOR
Holds head steady while sitting 2 Allows more visual interaction
Pulls to sit, with no head lag 3 Muscle tone
Brings hands together in midline 3 Self-discovery of hands
Asymmetric tonic neck reflex gone 4 Can inspect hands in midline
Sits without support 6 Increasing exploration
Rolls back to stomach 6.5 Truncal flexion, risk of falls
Walks alone 12 Exploration, control of proximity to parents
Runs 16 Supervision more difficult
FINE MOTOR
Grasps rattle 3.5 Object use
Reaches for objects 4 Visuomotor coordination
Palmar grasp gone 4 Voluntary release
Transfers object hand to hand 5.5 Comparison of objects
Thumb-finger grasp 8 Able to explore small objects
Turns pages of book 12 Increasing autonomy during book time
Scribbles 13 Visuomotor coordination
Builds tower of 2 cubes 15 Uses objects in combination
Builds tower of 6 cubes 22 Requires visual, gross, and fine motor coordination
COMMUNICATION AND LANGUAGE
Smiles in response to face, voice 1.5 More active social participant
Monosyllabic babble 6 Experimentation with sound, tactile sense
Inhibits to “no” 7 Response to tone (nonverbal)
Follows one-step command with gesture 7 Nonverbal communication
Follows one-step command without gesture 10 Verbal receptive language (e.g.,“Give it to me”)
Says “mama” or “dada” 10 Expressive language
Points to objects 10 Interactive communication
Speaks first real word 12 Beginning of labeling
Speaks 4–6 words 15 Acquisition of object and personal names
Speaks 10–15 words 18 Acquisition of object and personal names
Speaks 2-word sentences (e.g.,“Mommy shoe”) 19 Beginning grammaticization, corresponds with 50+ word vocabulary
COGNITIVE
Stares momentarily at spot where object disappeared 2 Lack of object permanence (out of sight, out of mind) [e.g., yarn ball dropped]
Stares at own hand 4 Self-discovery, cause and effect
Bangs 2 cubes 8 Active comparison of objects
Uncovers toy (after seeing it hidden) 8 Object permanence
Egocentric symbolic play (e.g., pretends to drink from cup) 12 Beginning symbolic thought
Uses stick to reach toy 17 Able to link actions to solve problems
Pretend play with doll (e.g., gives doll bottle) 17 Symbolic thought

TABLE 8-2-- Emerging Patterns of Behavior During the 1st Year of Life[*]

NEONATAL PERIOD (1ST 4 WK)
Prone: Lies in flexed attitude; turns head from side to side; head sags on ventral suspension
Supine: Generally flexed and a little stiff
Visual: May fixate face on light in line of vision;“doll's-eye” movement of eyes on turning of the body
Reflex: Moro response active; stepping and placing reflexes; grasp reflex active
Social: Visual preference for human face
AT 1 MO
Prone: Legs more extended; holds chin up; turns head; head lifted momentarily to plane of body on ventral suspension
Supine: Tonic neck posture predominates; supple and relaxed; head lags when pulled to sitting position
Visual: Watches person; follows moving object
Social: Body movements in cadence with voice of other in social contact; beginning to smile
AT 2 MO
Prone: Raises head slightly farther; head sustained in plane of body on ventral suspension
Supine: Tonic neck posture predominates; head lags when pulled to sitting position
Visual: Follows moving object 180 degrees
Social: Smiles on social contact; listens to voice and coos
AT 3 MO
Prone: Lifts head and chest with arms extended; head above plane of body on ventral suspension
Supine: Tonic neck posture predominates; reaches toward and misses objects; waves at toy
Sitting: Head lag partially compensated when pulled to sitting position; early head control with bobbing motion; back rounded
Reflex: Typical Moro response has not persisted; makes defensive movements or selective withdrawal reactions
Social: Sustained social contact; listens to music; says “aah, ngah”
AT 4 MO
Prone: Lifts head and chest, with head in approximately vertical axis; legs extended
Supine: Symmetric posture predominates, hands in midline; reaches and grasps objects and brings them to mouth
Sitting: No head lag when pulled to sitting position; head steady, tipped forward; enjoys sitting with full truncal support
Standing: When held erect, pushes with feet
Adaptive: Sees pellet, but makes no move to reach for it
Social: Laughs out loud; may show displeasure if social contact is broken; excited at sight of food
AT 7 MO
Prone: Rolls over; pivots;crawls or creep-crawls (Knobloch)
Supine: Lifts head; rolls over; squirms
Sitting: Sits briefly, with support of pelvis; leans forward on hands; back rounded
Standing: May support most of weight; bounces actively
Adaptive: Reaches out for and grasps large object; transfers objects from hand to hand; grasp uses radial palm; rakes at pellet
Language: Forms polysyllabic vowel sounds
Social: Prefers mother; babbles;enjoys mirror; responds to changes in emotional content of social contact
AT 10 MO
Sitting: Sits up alone and indefinitely without support, with back straight
Standing: Pulls to standing position;“cruises” or walks holding on to furniture
Motor: Creeps or crawls
Adaptive: Grasps objects with thumb and forefinger; pokes at things with forefinger; picks up pellet with assisted pincer movement; uncovers hidden toy; attempts to retrieve dropped object; releases object grasped by other person
Language: Repetitive consonant sounds (“mama,” “dada”)
Social: Responds to sound of name; plays peek-a-boo or pat-a-cake;waves bye-bye
AT 1 YR
Motor: Walks with one hand held (48 wk); rises independently, takes several steps (Knobloch)
Adaptive: Picks up pellet with unassisted pincer movement of forefinger and thumb; releases object to other person on request or gesture
Language: Says a few words besides “mama,” “dada”
Social: Plays simple ball game; makes postural adjustment to dressing
15 MO
Motor: Walks alone; crawls up stairs
Adaptive: Makes tower of 3 cubes; makes a line with crayon; inserts raisin in bottle
Language: Jargon;follows simple commands; may name a familiar object (e.g., ball)
Social: Indicates some desires or needs by pointing; hugs parents
18 MO
Motor: Runs stiffly; sits on small chair; walks up stairs with one hand held; explores drawers and wastebaskets
Adaptive: Makes tower of 4 cubes; imitates scribbling; imitates vertical stroke; dumps raisin from bottle
Language: 10 words (average); names pictures; identifies one or more parts of body
Social: Feeds self; seeks help when in trouble; may complain when wet or soiled; kisses parent with pucker
24 MO
Motor: Runs well, walks up and down stairs, one step at a time; opens doors; climbs on furniture; jumps
Adaptive: Makes tower of 7 cubes (6 at 21 mo); scribbles in circular pattern; imitates horizontal stroke; folds paper once imitatively
Language: Puts 3 words together (subject, verb, object)
Social: Handles spoon well; often tells about immediate experiences; helps to undress; listens to stories when shown pictures
30 MO
Motor: Goes up stairs alternating feet
Adaptive: Makes tower of 9 cubes; makes vertical and horizontal strokes, but generally will not join them to make cross; imitates circular stroke, forming closed figure
Language: Refers to self by pronoun “I”; knows full name
Social: Helps put things away; pretends in play
36 MO
Motor: Rides tricycle; stands momentarily on one foot
Adaptive: Makes tower of 10 cubes; imitates construction of “bridge” of 3 cubes; copies circle; imitates cross
Language: Knows age and sex; counts 3 objects correctly; repeats 3 numbers or a sentence of 6 syllables
Social: Plays simple games (in “parallel” with other children); helps in dressing (unbuttons clothing and puts on shoes); washes hands
48 MO
Motor: Hops on one foot; throws ball overhand; uses scissors to cut out pictures; climbs well
Adaptive: Copies bridge from model; imitates construction of “gate” of 5 cubes; copies cross and square; draws man with 2 to 4 parts besides head; identifies longer of 2 lines
Language: Counts 4 pennies accurately; tells story
Social: Plays with several children, with beginning of social interaction and role-playing;goes to toilet alone
60 MO
Motor: Skips
Adaptive: Draws triangle from copy; names heavier of 2 weights
Language: Names 4 colors; repeats sentence of 10 syllables; counts 10 pennies correctly
Social: Dresses and undresses; asks questions about meaning of words; engages in domestic role-playing

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