Patient Education: Developmental Milestones

Part of the joy of being a parent is watching your child develop. Although every child develops differently, the following are guidelines you can use to track your child’s progress, adapted from "Caring for Your Baby and Young Child, Birth to Age 5" by Steven Shelov, M.D., American Academy of Pediatrics.

By the End of the Third Month

MOVEMENT MILESTONES

• Raises head and chest when lying on stomach
• Supports upper body with arms when lying on stomach
• Stretches legs out and kicks when lying on stomach or back
• Opens and shuts hands
• Pushes down on his legs when his feet are placed on a firm surface
• Brings hand to mouth
• Takes swipes at dangling objects with hands
• Grasps and shakes hand toys

VISION MILESTONES

• Watches faces intently
• Follows moving objects
• Recognizes familiar objects and people at a distance
• Starts using hands and eyes in coordination

HEARING AND SPEECH MILESTONES

• Smiles at the sound of the primary caregivers' voice
• Begins to coo
• Begins to imitate some sounds
• Turns head toward direction of sound

SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL MILESTONES

Begins to develop a social smile

Enjoys playing with other people, and may cry when play stops

Becomes more communicative and expressive with face and body

Imitates some movements and facial expressions

DEVELOPMENTAL HEALTH WATCH

Although each baby develops in his own individual way and at his own rate, failure to reach certain milestones may signal developmental problems

• Doesn't seem respond to loud sounds
• Doesn't notice his hands by two months
• Doesn't smile at the sound of primary caregivers voice by two months
• Doesn't follow moving objects with eyes by three months
• Doesn't grasp and hold objects by three months
• Doesn't smile at people by three months
• Crosses his eyes most of the time
• Has trouble moving one or both eyes in all directions

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