Developmental Milestones for Babies

I have quite a few mothers that come up to me when they hear that I am studying Occupational Therapy and ask me whether their baby is at the right development stage or they are freaking out because their baby is ahead is some areas and delayed in others. Here are the things you should mention to your doctor at your next visit if they haven't reached these milestones:

http://www.parenting.com/aricle/baby-development-milestones

The Four-Month Mark

At the end of this newborn era, most babies are much more sociable and responsive than when they first crossed your home’s threshold. Mention it at her four-month checkup if your baby is still not:

• Responding to loud sounds.
• Smiling at not just family members but other people she encounters as well.
• Reaching and grasping toys.
• Following objects with her eyes.
• Supporting her head on her own.
• Babbling.

The Eight-Month Mark

Between his four-month birthday and the end of the seventh month, your baby will change dramatically. He’ll start out quietly sociable but still unable to move much. The next thing you know he’ll be fully upright, boisterous, and able to get across the room in creative ways. Mention it to the doctor if by his eight-month-birthday:

• He still seems to have some of those quirky newborn movements like the Moro or tonic-neck reflex.
• His muscle tone doesn’t seem right—it’s either too stiff or too floppy— and he can’t seem to bear weight on his legs (when you hold him in a standing position with his feet on the floor) or hold his head steady when you pull his body up by the arms to a sitting position.
• He’s not cuddly or affectionate with the people who care for him, and doesn’t show interest in being around people in general.
• Something seems amiss with his eyes: They consistently cross, turn in or out, or tear a lot, or he can’t seem to follow an object with his eyes when you move it in front of his face.
• He does not turn to locate or otherwise respond to sounds.
• He doesn’t actively reach for objects and still can’t get them to his mouth (typically, everything is going into the mouth by the end of this stage).
• He hasn’t reached physical milestones like rolling over or sitting up at the end of this period.
• He still has a lot of difficulty sleeping for any length of time at night.
• He continues to have colic or is frequently inconsolable.
• He does not try to attract your attention through actions or sound

The Twelve Month Mark

By their first birthday your baby may seem like a little boy or girl. Then again, they may still not have mastered many big-kid skills, as development continues to vary widely. You’ll want to talk to your baby’s doctor if:

• They aren’t attempting much in the way of words. The typical just-turned-one-year-old may say two or three words recognizable only to Mom and Dad, or have a vocabulary of two dozen. But she should at least be babbling a lot.
• They aren’t yet getting around efficiently, be it by crawling or cruising or walking.
• They show no interest in interactive games like peekaboo or pat-a-cake, and doesn’t search for objects that are hidden while she watches.
• They aren’t pointing to objects or pictures or using gestures like waving or shaking her head no.

If there is a developmental problem with your child the doctor will refer you to an Occupational Therapist, Physiotherapist, Speech Therapist etc depending on where the problem lies. I would recommend though that a child go see an Occupational Therapist for at least 6 months, some time in their developmental life, to make sure that they are on the right track and to give them a boost in some areas that they might lack in.