What Are Developmental Milestones?

As your child grows, you will notice improvements in motor skills, communication, and other achievements. These are developmental milestones. They can be measured and tracked to help ensure your child is developing normally.

Developmental Milestones From 1 to 3 Months

When your baby is 1 to 3 months old, common developmental milestones you should notice include:

• Smiling, both to themselves and to you
• Raising their head and chest when lying on their stomach
• Tracking movement with their eyes
• Bringing their hands to their mouth
• Gripping and reaching for things

Developmental Milestones from 4 to 6 Months

When your baby is 4 to 6 months old, common developmental milestones you should notice include:

• Rolling over
• Babbling and laughing
• Sitting up while supported by you
• Having improved head control
• Beginning to crawl around

Developmental Milestones from 7 to 9 Months

When your baby is 7 to 9 months old, common developmental milestones you should notice include:

• Sitting without support from you
• Responding to familiar words you speak
• Clapping and playing simple games like peekaboo and patty-cake
• Pulling up to a standing position

Developmental Milestones from 10 to 12 Months

When your baby is 10 to 12 months old, common developmental milestones you should notice include:

• Beginning to feed without your help
• Moving around while holding onto furniture
• Speaking one or two words
• Pointing at things to get your attention
• Pretend to play by copying what you do
• Taking their first steps

Pediatric Developmental Assessments

To help ensure your child is on a normal developmental track, your pediatrician will perform developmental assessments as part of routine well-child visits. Developmental assessments typically occur when your child is 9, 18, or 30 months old.

To learn more about the American Pediatric Association guidelines for developmental assessment, please click here.

Want To Know More About Developmental Milestones?

To discover more about developmental milestones, call Dr. Patricia Azarcon at Children’s Clinic of El Paso, with two locations in El Paso, TX. You can reach her at the Vista Del Sol Dr. office by calling (915) 592-2600 or at the Oregon St. office by calling (915) 544-2225, so call today.