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Summary
When will my baby take his first step or say her first word? During their first year, babies start to develop skills they will use for the rest of their lives. The normal growth of babies can be broken down into the following areas:
- Gross motor - controlling the head, sitting, crawling, maybe even starting to walk
- Fine motor - holding a spoon, picking up a piece of cereal between thumb and finger
- Sensory - seeing, hearing, tasting, touching and smelling
- Language - starting to make sounds, learning some words, understanding what people say
- Social - the ability to play with family members and other children
Babies do not develop at the same rate. There is a wide range of what is considered "normal." Your baby may be ahead in some areas and slightly behind in others. If you are worried about possible delays, talk to your baby's health care provider.
Diagnosis and Tests
-
Developmental and Behavioral Screening Tests
(National Library of Medicine)
Also in Spanish
- Developmental Monitoring and Screening (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF - In English and Spanish
Treatments and Therapies
- Physical Therapy (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Speech-Language Therapy (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Related Issues
- Developmental Milestones of Early Literacy (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
- Overview of Early Intervention (Center for Parent Information and Resources)
- Separation Anxiety (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Stopping the Bottle (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
-
Tummy Time for a Healthy Baby
(Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
Also in Spanish
- What Is a Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician? (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
- Your child needs vaccines as they grow! (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
Specifics
- Emotional and Social Development: 4 to 7 Months (American Academy of Pediatrics)
- Emotional and Social Development: 8 to 12 Months (American Academy of Pediatrics)
- Emotional and Social Development: Birth to 3 Months (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
-
Speech and Language Developmental Milestones
(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders)
Also in Spanish
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Individualized Target Fortification of Breast Milk with Protein, Carbohydrates, and Fat...
- Article: Four-year follow-up to a home-visiting intervention to promote early childhood development...
- Article: Effects of SAFE Early Intervention Approach in the First Months of...
- Infant and Newborn Development -- see more articles
Reference Desk
- Growth Charts (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Find an Expert
-
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Also in Spanish
- KidsHealth (Nemours Foundation)
Patient Handouts
- Developmental milestones record - 12 months (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Developmental Monitoring and Screening (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF - In English and Spanish
- Infant - newborn development (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Normal growth and development (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.