Developmental Milestones

Hello,

How have you been since my last write up? We continue today. For a recap, check my previous posts, thank you.

Remember, every child is unique and will achieve his/her milestones at their own pace

The milestones will still be discussed under these headings;

• Physical
• Movement/Gross
• Fine motor/Adaptive
• Social/Emotional
• Language/communication
• Cognitive (learning, thinking, problem-solving)
• How to help your baby’s development.
• When to seek help

Your Baby at 5months (Age range 4-6months)

Physical

• Birth weight doubles
• Drooling
• You’ll see signs of tooth/teeth
• Chewing and biting of anything in sight begins

Movement/Gross

• Lies on the chest with head up and extended arms, like a push up posture
• Can roll from back to side, later can roll from abdomen to back and back to abdomen
• Can sit with support, later sit without support
• No head lag when in sitting position
• When baby is lying flat on the back, can put feet to mouth
• When held in standing position, supports weight on legs and might bounce
• Brings hand to mouth
• Rocks back and forth, sometimes crawling backward before moving forward

Fine motor/Adaptive

• Inspects and plays with fingers and hands
• Carries objects to mouth
• Grasp objects with hands
• Can transfer object from one hand to the other
• Plays with his toes
• Brings feet to mouth
• Drops one object when given another one or when another one excites them
• Can grasp small objects
• Can hold bottle

Social/Emotional

• Smiles spontaneously, especially at people
• Likes to play with people and might cry when the playing stops
• Copies some movements and facial expressions, like smiling and frowning
• Demands attention
• Expects feeding when mother or feeding utensils are seen
• Shows excitement with the whole body, kicking of legs, squealing
• Knows familiar faces and begins to know if someone is a stranger
• Likes to look at self in the mirror or love their pictures to be captured
• Pats breasts with both hands
• Discovers other part of the body apart from mouth and toes
• Laughs when head is hidden in a towel or you cover your face with your hand (peek-a-boo)

Language/Communication

• Makes consonant sounds n, k, g, p, m and b.
• Laughs aloud
• Turns to voice
• Begins to babble sounds like “ah”, “eh”, “oh”, “da”, “ma”, “mu”, “hi”, “di”
• Copies sounds heard
• Makes sounds to show joy and displeasure
• Cries in different ways to express hunger, tiredness, pain or displeasure.
• Responds to own name
• Takes pleasure in hearing own sounds

Cognitive

• Holds arms out to be picked
• Has likes and dislikes
• Has mood swings- from crying to laughing with little or no cause
• Follows moving things with eyes from side to side
• Shows curiosity about things and tries to get things that are out of reach
• Begins to play.

Play is an integral part of a child’s development. It is very necessary

How to help your baby’s development

• Hold and talk to your baby
• Pay close attention to your baby’s cries, likes and dislikes
• Copy your baby’s sound
• Act excited and smile when your baby makes sounds, do not shush your baby
• Give age-appropriate toys to play with
• Allow your baby to explore his surroundings
• Hold your baby in a standing position once in awhile
• Read, sing and laugh with your baby
• When he drops something on the floor, pick it up and give it back. It is a sort of game to them but it teaches them cause and effect
• Show your baby books with colourful pictures
• Put your baby on his tummy or back and put toys just out of reach. Encourage him to roll over to reach the toys
• Do not carry your baby all the time. Put him on a mat surrounded with toys and let him learn independence

When to seek help

• Does not smile at people
• Cannot hold head steady
• Doesn’t coo or make sounds
• Doesn’t bring things to mouth
• Doesn’t follow objects with eyes
• Doesn’t try to stand when held upright
• Shows no affection to even you the parents
• Does not roll over in any direction
• Does not laugh or babble
• Seems very stiff, with tight muscles
• Seems very flat or lax like wax
• Does not respond to sounds around

There is a mobile app for monitoring your baby’s developmental milestones by CDC.

This is the bit I carry today. Till I come your way again,

I Remain

Yours Truly

AskMatty.

You can follow me on Facebook- AskMatty, Instagram@simplyaskmatty

References

1. Developmentalmilestones. http://www.dpeds.org/milestone
2. David. W & Marylin J. Hockenberry. Wong’s Clinical manual of Pediatric Nursing
3. Learn the signs, Act Early. http://www.cdc.gov/milestones

Developmental Milestones

How your child acts, moves, plays, learn, speaks or do anything is an important pointer about his or her development. Everyone hears growth and development especially in relation to children, these two indices are vital and says a whole lot about your child.

Growth is increase in size while development is the process of change in the physical, behavioural, cognitive, social, emotional e.t.c. Hope you got the drift.

Developmental milestones are things most children can do by a certain age. Growth measurements are needed to evaluate your child.

Let’s go on to the business of the day. This topic will run for a while. I would like you to check on it again and again. This is a guide and not a rigid rule that is why you will see the ages are in a range. Not all children will show the behaviours on this list, however you should consult with your child’s doctor or nurse if you observe any of these;

• Your child does not achieve majority of the milestones within a reasonable period of time after the end of a stage. For example, your child should be able to support the head without it falling behind (head lag) by 2-4months. You can wait for a month, if he or she has still not achieved this, seek professional help. Do not delay and;
• Your child suddenly stops making consistent progress.

Babies born too soon (preterms) tend to achieve milestones a little later as the calculation of their real age clinically starts from when they reach 40weeks of pregnancy age even outside the womb. #ohyes #topicforanotherday

“It is important to intervene early to improve the outcomes of the children who have developmental delay“

There is a mobile app that can help you track your baby’s milestone, it is CDC’s Milestone Tracker

The milestones will be discussed under these headings

• Physical
• Movement/Gross
• Fine motor/Adaptive
• Social/Emotional
• Language/communication
• Cognitive (learning, thinking, problem-solving)
• How to help your baby’s development.
• When to seek help

YOUR BABY AT 2 MONTHS: Age Range 0 to 3months

Physical

• Posterior fontanelle closes

Movement

• Can turn head from side to side when lying on tummy.
• Can hold head up more erect.
• When held in standing position can bear slight weight on legs
• Begin to push up when lying on tummy.
• Makes smoother movements with arms and legs .
• Head is steady at the shoulder.
• Raises up arms and legs when a loud sound is heard and may even cry.

Fine motor

• Unfist fisted hands.
• Hits at objects.
• Holds an object if it is placed in the hand but will not reach for it by self.

Social/Emotional

• Smiles at you.
• Begins to smile at people.
• Can calm self down for a short while.
• Tries to look at parent.

Language

• Coos, chuckles, makes gurgling sounds.
• Turns head towards sounds.
• Babbles a lot
• “Talks” to a familiar voice

Cognitive

• Pays attention to faces.
• Begins to follow things with eyes.
• Stops crying when parent enters the room
• Gets bored and cries if activities does not change.
• Begins to recognize people and familiar objects like feeding cups, spoon and bottles

How to help your baby’s development

• Talk, smile, sing and play with your baby anytime you attend to him/her.
• Help them get into a routine e.g. sleep more at night than during the day.
• Know your baby’s cues.
• When they make sounds, encourage them. Do not shush them.
• Know and pay attention to your baby’s different cries. Know what each cry means. Not all your baby’s cry indicates feeding time.
• Read to your baby and show him/her pictures.
• Leave your baby once in awhile to learn to play by self.
• Hold their toys high up to encourage them reach for it.
• Lay your baby on the tummy when awake and put toys nearby.

When to seek help

If your child does not;

• Respond to loud sound;
• Watch things as they move;
• Smile;
• Bring hands to mouth and;
• hold head up when lying on tummy.

Thank you

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Yours truly,

Askmatty

References

Developmentalmilestones. http://www.dpeds.org/milestones

Learn the signs, Act Early. http://www.cdc.gov/milestones

David. W & Marylin J. Hockenberry. Wong’s Clinical manual of Pediatric Nursing