Child Growth Stages

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Child Developmental milestones record

 

In 2 months

Physical and motor-skill markers:

• Closure of posterior fontanelle (soft spot at the back of the head)
• Several newborn reflexes, such as the dance reflex (baby appears to dance or step when placed upright on solid surface)and grasp reflex (grasping a finger), disappear
• Less head lag
• When on stomach, able to lift head almost 45 degrees
• Less flexing of the arms and legs while on stomach

Sensory and cognitive markers:

• Head turns from side to side with sound at the level of the ear
• Beginning to look at close objects
• Crying becomes differentiated
• Coos
• Vocal response to familiar voices
• Smiles

Play recommendations:

• Toys and objects should be bright colors
• The room should be bright with pictures and mirrors
• Expose the baby to sounds outside those of the home
• Take the baby for rides in the car

In 4 Months

Infants 4 months old are expected to develop certain physical and mental skills. These skills are called milestones.

PHYSICAL AND MOTOR SKILLS

The typical 4-month-old should:

• Show a slowing of weight gain to approximately 20 grams per day
• Demonstrate the fading of the infant reflexes (Moro reflex, asymmetric tonic neck reflex, rooting reflex, and Perez reflex)
• Have almost no head lag while in a sitting position
• Be able to sit up straight if propped
• Raise head 90 degrees when placed on stomach
• Be able to roll from front to back
• Try to reach objects with hands (may commonly overshoot)
• Play with rattle when it's placed in the hands, but won't be able to pick it up if dropped
• Be able to grasp rattle with both hands
• Be able to place objects in mouth

SENSORY AND COGNITIVE SKILLS

A 4-month-old is expected to:

• Have well-established close vision
• Have beginning eye-hand coordination
• Be able to babble and coo
• Be able to laugh out loud
• Anticipate feeding when able to see a bottle (if bottle-fed)
• Begin to show memory
• Demand attention by fussing
• Recognize parent voice or touch

PLAY You can encourage development through play:

• Place the baby in front of a mirror
• Provide bright-colored toys to hold
• Repeat sounds the infant makes
• Help the infant roll over
• Use a swing or stroller

In 6 months

Physical and motor-skill markers:

• Should have doubled birth weight (birth weight often doubles by 4 months, and it would be concerning if it hasn't happened by 6 months)
• Able to lift chest and head while on stomach, bearing the weight on hands (often occurs by 4 months)
• Able to sit in a high chair with a straight back
• Beginning of teething
• Increased drooling
• Able to bear almost all weight when supported in a standing position
• Able to roll from back to stomach
• Able to hold own bottle (but many babies won't do it, or do it only for short periods)
• Able to pick up a dropped object

Sensory and cognitive markers:

• Vision is between 20/60 and 20/40
• Can locate sounds not made directly at the ear level
• Prefers more complex sound stimulation
• Starts to imitate sounds
• Sounds resemble one-syllable words
• Enjoys hearing own voice
• Makes sounds to mirror and toys
• Begins to fear strangers
• Recognizes parents
• Begins to imitate actions
• Begins to realize that if an object is dropped, it is still there and just needs to be picked up

Play recommendations:

• Provide a mirror that is unbreakable
• Provide large, bright colored toys that make noise or have moving parts
• Provide paper to tear
• Speak clearly
• Imitate words such as "mama" to facilitate learning of language
• Start naming parts of the body and the environment
• Use the word "no" INFREQUENTLY
• Use body movements and actions to teach language

In 9 months

At 9 months, a typical infant will demonstrate certain skills and growth markers known as milestones.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND MOTOR SKILLS

A 9 month old generally has reached the following milestones:

• Gains weight at a slower rate -- approximately 15 grams per day, 1 pound per month
• Increases in length by 1.5 centimeters per month
• Becomes more regulated in bowel and bladder systems
• Shows parachute reflex to protect self from falling
• Is able to crawl
• Remains sitting for prolonged periods
• Pulls self to standing position
• Has a pincer grasp between thumb and index finger
• Feeds self
• Throws or shakes objects

SENSORY AND COGNITIVE SKILLS

The 9 month old typically:

• Is developing depth perception
• Achieves "object constancy", the understanding that objects continue to exist even when not seen
• Responds to simple commands
• Responds to name
• Understands the meaning of "no"
• Imitates speech sounds
• May be afraid of being left alone
• Plays interactive games

PLAY

To aid the development of the 9 month old:

• Provide picture books
• Provide different stimuli:
• Go to the mall (people)
• Go to the zoo (animals)
• Play ball
• Build vocabulary by reading and naming people and objects in the environment
• Teach hot and cold through play
• Provide large toys that can be pushed to encourage walking