The first years of a child’s life are important for their health and development. From birth to age 5, your child should reach developmental milestones in the way they play, learn, act, and move. Developmental milestones are things that most children can do at a certain age. Milestones are divided into 4 areas:
4 Important Areas of Development and Skills
- Social and emotional – How they interact with others and express their emotions
- Speech and communication – How they react to and recognize sounds and voices
- Cognitive – Ability to understand, reason, think, and follow instructions
- Motor and physical – Move their hands and feet, move around, and learn about their environment
Important
Developmental milestones allow us to detect early signs of potential developmental problems.
Recommendations
- Talk to your pediatrician if you have concerns about your child’s development.
- At each visit with the pediatrician, mention which milestones your child has reached and which ones they should reach.
- Ask about developmental and behavioral screenings recommended according to the child’s age.
- Consult with the pediatrician if it is necessary to refer the child to a specialist for further evaluation.
- Ask questions if you do not understand something.
In the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Milestone Tracker app, you can find useful information to help you support your child’s growth and development:
Milestone checklists by age:
- 2 months
- 4 months
- 6 months
- 9 months
- 1 year
- 1 year and 3 months
- 1 year and 6 months
- 2 years
- 2 years and 6 months
- 3 years
- 4 years
- 5 years
- Photos and videos of developmental milestones
- Developmental activities according to age
- Tips on what to expect at each developmental milestone and when to talk to your pediatrician
- Pediatrician appointment reminders
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