Developmental Milestones
Is my child developing normally?
Almost all parents wonder this at some time in their child’s early years. Here we’ve put together a list of self help skills that most children acquire between 12 and 36 months of age.
Below are signs to look for that may signal a delay in development or a dysfunction in sensory integration.
Cognitive Delay
By 12 months of age:
No visual tracking or responding to sound Not beginning to repeat actions to elicit pleasurable results
Not attempting to attract attention No interest in games like peek-a-boo
Doesn’t search for hidden or removed objects Not anticipating effects of actions
Not using toys for intended purposes
By 24 months of age:
Doesn’t understand function of objects Doesn’t imitate
Continues to explore items by mouthing Constantly moving from one item to another, inability to attend for brief periods
Requires constant attention to remain engaged Not showing interest in children their own age
By 36 months of age:
Not interested in pretend play
Not demonstrating simple categorization (like matching and sorting)
Not initiating or reciprocating simple interactions with children their own age
At any time child experiences a dramatic loss of skills
Sensory Integration Dysfunction
Child does not like to be touched or seeks excessive touching
Child does not like to touch sticky substances, to walk barefoot on grass, to wear certain clothing, to have hair brushed or cut, to have finger nails cut, or to have other people too close to them
Child falls frequently or is unsafe on playground equipment
Child often appears to be in constant motion, or to have a short attention span
Child engages in rocking motion often, slams himself up against furniture/walls/people, plays hard with toys
Child avoids activities that involve head movement, such as swinging
Child is a fussy eater and has difficulty eating food with lumps or textures in it
Child appears to be sensitive to light or sound
Child is often fussy or aggressive for no apparent reason
Once a child enters the toddler and preschool years, there may be concerns about language development. Here are some things to watch for in children from 3 to 5 years old.
Cognitive Delay
Between the ages of 3 and 4, most children can:
Identify and name different colors
Sort and classify objects by simple characteristics Understand and make simple patterns, sequences, orders and understand opposites
Understand numbers and quantities in their everyday environment
- Recite numbers to 10
- Count up to 5 objects using 1:1 correspondence
- Recognize and name a few written numerals Develop a sense of time, talking about what happened today and tomorrow
Between the ages of 4 and 5, most children can: Compare and describe using bigger and biggest, small and smaller, more and less
Understand more numbers and quantities
- Count 10 or more objects
- Recognize names and written numerals 0-9
- Understands simple addition and subtraction using numbers up to 4Recognize and name at least the written letters of their own nameName and briefly explain pictures that they draw
- Know the days of the week, months and seasons, but still cannot tell time
- Understands that letters represent sounds and associate some letters with sounds
motor development
Between the ages of 3 and 4, most children can:
Jump off the floor with both feet Gallop
Hop and stand on one foot for up to 5 seconds Kick a ball and throw it overhand
Catch a bounced ball most of the time
Walk forward and backward with good coordination Walk up and down stairs
Climb at least 3 rungs of a ladder and ride a tricycle Hold a pencil with fingers and use scissors
Draw circles and squares
Scribble letters and numbers or “letter-like” forms String 1/2 inch beads and stack 8 cubes
Put 8 pieces in a formboard Complete a simple puzzle
Between the ages of 4 and 5, most children can: Run and demonstrate good coordination Jump over objects
Stand on one foot for 5 to 10 seconds Hop on one foot
Swing and climb easily, may be able to skip Draw a person with 3 parts
Copy a cross, trace a line, square and triangle Imitate drawing a square
Connect dots and cut on a line
Print own name and some letters of the alphabet Usually can fasten and unfasten buttons and snaps