Read on for a roadmap for common developmental milestones in childhood and how you can support your child in each phase.
Understanding Developmental Milestones in Children: A Guide for Parents
Understanding Developmental Milestones in Children: A Guide for Parents
Whole Child Neuro
It’s common for parents to worry about their child’s development.
Is their development typical for their age? What milestones should they be reaching and when? What are signs of delayed development to look out for? How can you, as a parent, best support your child's development? All of these are natural questions for parents to have when first navigating parenthood.
It’s important to remember that development and developmental milestones are not one size fits all checklists, but a progression unique to each person that tends to follow a similar pattern. Some children may achieve different milestones “early” or “late” or out of order to what you might expect. And their developmental process is impacted by much more than their intelligence–major life events like moving or changing schools or the birth of a new sibling can cause abrupt changes to your child’s development.
The CDC recommends tracking your child’s developmental milestones over time, so you can identify patterns within their developmental process, and better determine when changes are a cause for concern.
There are four main types of development to look out for:
Social/Emotional Development
Language/Communication Development
Cognitive Development
Movement/Physical Development
Within each of these categories are various “developmental milestones” which refer to the typical age range where certain skills are developed in children. Again, it’s not a hard and fast map, and some children may develop some skills “out of order” or faster or slower than others.
Below we’ve put together a roadmap for common developmental milestones and how you can support your child in each phase. If you have concerns regarding your child’s development, the best thing to do is consult with your child’s physician–they will be able to help you determine which developmental markers are significant, what you should pay attention to, and how to provide extra support if your child is showing signs of delayed development.
Developmental milestones:
Common Developmental Milestones from birth to 18 months:
Social/Emotional Development
Recognizing familiar people
Laughing
Being clingy or fearful around strangers or new people
Playing simple games with you (peek a boo, pat a cake)
Learning to move around without you, checking to make sure you’re nearby
Language/Communication Development
Call and repeat or taking turns making sounds with you
Calls parent “mama” or “dada” or other equivalent
Tries to expand beyond “mama” or “dada”
Cognitive Development
Reaching for something they want
Smiling or laughing while playing peekaboo
Putting something in a container
Copying you doing chores, like putting things away
Movement/Physical Development
Leaning on hands to support self while sitting
Getting to sitting position on their own
Pulling themselves up to stand
Walking on their own
Trying to use spoon/utensil
How you can support your child in this period:
At this stage your child is forming initial bonds with you, so to encourage a secure attachment and healthy social/emotional development, responding to your baby’s cry right away helps them form that secure bond with you, and sets the stage for healthy development in future relationships. Things like tummy time or other advised routines help strengthen your baby’s ability to use their muscles, keeping their movement and physical development on track. And reading to them can help both their cognitive development as well as their language/communication development.
Common Developmental Milestones from 18 months to 3 years:
Social/Emotional Development
Learning to share toys without adult direction
Learning to take turns
Language/Communication Development
Saying their first and last name
Imitating/”echoing” words you say
Cognitive Development
Naming pictures of common objects
Identifying body parts on self
Correctly identifying colors
Movement/Physical Development
Can feed self
Can draw a line (when shown)
How you can support your child in this period:
During this time, your child needs stability and predictability–basically everything in the world is new to them, so it makes sense they need some natural grounding! Predictable routines help them feel that emotional security they need. You can also help support their development by making sure all areas they enter are toddler proofed, so they can freely explore which helps both physical and cognitive development. And continuing to read, and adding in other activities like singing can help expand their language skills by expanding their vocabulary!
Common Developmental Milestones from 3 to 5 years:
Social/Emotional Development
Shows more independence
Wants to make friends happy
Language/Communication Development
Enjoys rhymes
Begins to recognize written words
Cognitive Development
Enjoys doing things without help
Understands size concepts
Understand time concepts
Movement/Physical Development
Can draw a circle and square
Can skip
Improved balance (may begin learning to ride a bike)
Can catch bounced ball
How you can support your child in this period:
This is a time when your child is developing more independence. It’s a good time to show them how to do simple chores, like putting things away or sweeping. It’s also important during this time to practice explaining your expectations to your child–you are the guide that tells them what behaviors are appropriate in what setting, so letting them know what is expected of them and what you need them to refrain from in any given situation can help them learn the social expectations.
When their emotions are high, help them practice problem solving–this can help teach emotional regulation skills and support emotional and cognitive development. And, at this stage, letting your child determine how they feel comfortable interacting with others (family, parents’ friends, strangers, etc.) is a great way to introduce the concept of bodily autonomy and consent. Let them decide if they want hugs, kisses, high fives, or nothing at all!
Common Developmental Milestones for school-age children
Social/Emotional Development
Can cooperate with others
May feel jealousy
Might have a “best friend”
Experiences more peer pressure
More independent from parents
Increased need for privacy
Increased interest in dating/sexuality
Growing ability to empathize
Language/Communication Development
Can read books at grade level
Can follow written instructions
Can draw inferences based on reading
Can use speech that isn’t literal
Can write persuasively
Can have complex conversations
Cognitive Development
Can complete instructions with 3 or more steps
Maintains longer attention span
Writes stories and letters
Develops opinions that may differ from parents
Can understand figurative language
Can explain their choices and opinions
Movement/Physical Development
Begins gaining skills for team sports
Can practice skills to get better at them
May experience signs of puberty
Secondary sex characteristics (armpit hair, voice changes) begin appearing
How you can support your child in this period:
At this stage, supporting your child looks more like supporting their independence and setting them up for success when it comes to exploring that independence. It’s important to prioritize getting enough sleep–and making sure their sleep hygiene allows for them to achieve quality sleep. Making sure their schedule allows for enough opportunities for exercise and play, as well as allowing them space to be quiet and studious, as well as messy and creative helps support all types of development. Support can also come in the form of beginning or continuing conversations about consent and boundaries around their and others’ bodies in age appropriate ways.
How we can help at Whole Child Neuro
Neuropsychological evaluations can be an essential tool for identifying and addressing cognitive, behavioral, and emotional issues in children, teens, and young adults. The process involves comprehensive testing that assesses various aspects of cognitive functioning and behavior, helping clinicians develop targeted treatment plans. By identifying underlying issues and providing targeted interventions, neuropsychological evaluation can help individuals overcome challenges and achieve their full potential.
Whole Child Neurodevelopment Group is a leading provider of neuropsychological testing services by offering comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations for children and young adults in the Greater Los Angeles area. Contact us today to schedule a consultation for your child