January 04, 2012
Developmental Milestones: How You Can Help Your Child at Each Stage of Growth
SIOUX FALLS (Jan. 1, 2012) - Your baby’s first smile, first coo, first word, or first “roll over” are all moments to celebrate, as they mark important milestones in growth and development.
From the moment your baby is born, he or she will begin making small achievements of normal development, said Dr. Joseph Vogel, pediatrician with Avera Medical Group Pediatrics South. “Children go through a set of milestones in four key areas,” which include social/emotional, physical/movement, speech/language, and learning/thinking. “Not every child develops in the same way or at the same rate. It’s typical for children to follow a predictable pattern, although there are ranges of normal,” Dr. Vogel added.
One of the first things your baby may do is to become interested in his surroundings, watch what’s going on, and follow objects. “It’s fun to know what to expect and what to watch for,” Dr. Vogel said. “If parents know the different milestones for a given age, they know how to work with their children and can give them opportunities to achieve these milestones.”
Developmental milestones are covered at each “well baby” checkup. “Parents know their children better than anyone, so if they have a concern, it’s important to bring it up,” Dr. Vogel said. “If there is a delay, early intervention is important.” Your doctor may ask you about milestones verbally, or may give you a written assessment tool to fill out. If a delay is evident, parents may be referred to South Dakota’s Birth to Three Connections program, which provides early intervention services, at no cost, for children who have a disability or a developmental delay.
“Particularly at 18 months, we do additional screening to look for any autistic tendencies,” Dr. Vogel said. “The earlier we pick up on that, the earlier we can start with intervention and make a positive influence on that child’s development.”
Language development begins with smiles, coos and babbles. By 18 months, the child should be saying single words more often, and by age 2, she should be putting two words together.
Like talking, walking is a process. “It goes from learning to crawl, to pulling to a stand, to cruising furniture,” Dr. Vogel said. The average age for a child to begin walking is around 1 year. “One child may begin walking at 9 months, where another child may not decide to get around to it until 15 months. Both are normal,” Dr. Vogel said. “Yet if a child is not walking by 18 months, it catches our attention as a red flag to check into.”
Parental involvement is important, Dr. Vogel said. Parents should do what they can to encourage milestones, but not pressure their child to achieve milestones.
Staying informed is key, Dr. Vogel said. Read credible websites or books on healthy child development. Your doctor may also give you handouts detailing what to expect at each developmental stage. One good resource is www.healthychildren.org, a site provided by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Developmental milestones are also posted at www.AveraChildrens.org. Just click on Child Development Newsletters in the left column.
Give children age-appropriate toys and a safe environment, Dr. Vogel said. For example, when your baby is 4 months old, place your baby on a blanket on the floor, with a colorful object out of his range, so he can work on rolling. Give the child plenty of time out of the car seat, swing or Exersaucer.
For language development, talk and interact with your child from birth. “Narrate your day, even if it’s mundane. Then the child can associate language with what’s happening around him,” Dr. Vogel said. Start reading to your child as early as 6 months. “Reading to your child for at least 15 minutes a day is a great investment in future language development.”
“TV doesn’t count toward supporting a child’s development in the first two years of life,” Dr. Vogel said. Even at older ages, TV is not a substitute for human interaction, or reading to your child. “I encourage parents to limit their child’s screen exposure,” Dr. Vogel added.
Give your child a safe environment to explore. Let him get into cupboards or cabinets filled with plastic ware. Place breakable knick-knacks up and out of the way, so the child has “free reign” to explore his environment.
For parenting tips, and more information about developmental milestones and children’s health, go to www.AveraChildrens.org.
