Children

Developmental Stages

What is a developmental delay or disability?

All children grow and learn at different rates, even siblings within the same family will achieve developmental milestones at different ages based on a variety of environmental factors.

If your child grows, learns or changes at a slower rate than most children their age, he or she may have a developmental delay. Delays may occur in one or more of these areas:

  1. Thinking skills- i.e. understanding danger, exploring toys and environment
  2. Self-help skills -i.e. feeding self, assisting with dressing/undressing, potty training
  3. Language skills
    1. Receptive/understanding i.e. following simple directions, pointing to named objects
    2. Expressive/talking i.e. cooing, babbling, single words, putting words together
  4. Physical Growth
    1. Gross Motor/big muscles -i.e. crawling, standing, walking, running, stairs, jumping.
    2. Fine Motor/small muscles- i.e. picking up toys, banging toys, spoon and crayon use
    3. Hearing-A hearing impairment or deafness (multiple ear infections can effect language and hearing).
    4. Vision- A visual impairment or blindness.
  5. Social/emotional growth- i.e. recognizing familiar adults, interacting with others. Self pride

Click on the tabs to see a developmental checklist for young children:

1 Month

Able to raise head from surface when lying on tummy

Pays attention to someone's face in direct line of vision

Quieted by human voice

Moves arms and legs in energetic manner

2 Months

Coos

Follows moving object with eyes

Holds head up when supported in sitting position

Imitates or looks at smiling person

3 Months

Holds objects when placed in his or her hands

Crying is different for pain, hunger, etc.

Turns head and follows moving object with eyes

Much body movement

4 Months

Laughs aloud

Rolls from side to side

Babbles

Holds rattle

Sits if supported

May begin reaching

Turns head or eyes toward sound of familiar person

5 Months

Reaches for and holds objects

Stands when held

Stretches out arms to be picked up

Likes to play peek-a-boo

Babbling increases

6 Months

Sits with little support

Reaches for objects out of reach

Holds, sucks, and begins chewing

Rolls from back to stomach

Moves objects from hand to mouth

7 Months

Sits for a few minutes without support

Creeps by pulling body with arms and leg kicks

Is shy at first with strangers

8 Months

Crawls on hands and knees

Likes to be near parents

Responds to "No" by stopping activity

Grasps things with thumb and first two fingers

9 Months

Copies sounds and repeats words

Responds to name

Can stand for short time holding on to support

10 Months

Can drink from a cup when it is held

Able to pull self up at side of crib or playpen

11 Months

Can walk holding on to furniture

Can find an object placed under another object

12 Months

Waves bye-bye

Can walk with one hand held

Says one or two words besides "Mama" or "Dada"

Feeds self with fingers

Gives affection

15 Months

Climbs stairs with assistance

Scribbles on paper after shown

Show wants by pointing and gestures

18 Months

Takes things apart

Likes to help a parent

May use 5-10 words

24-30 Months

Able to run

May show some interest in using the toilet

Says at least 50 words

30-36 Months

Dresses self except for buttoning

Says rhymes and jingles from TV and from stories

Jumps lifting both feet off the ground

For more information, take an online pre-screening.