Baby Milestones - Tracking Your Child's Development

At times, it may seem like there are way too many milestones you need to watch out for when raising a kid. Some milestones are not that important and are just there to help you know what is coming, but others are crucial and are a useful way to identify and deal with problems as early as possible.

Children reach milestones in how they learn, speak, behave, grow, and play. Some kids skip milestones altogether, such as with crawling, a step which some children skip. Children develop at their own pace, so it’s impossible to know exactly when your child will reach a certain milestone, though the developmental milestones should give you a general idea of the changes to come as your child grows.

As a parent, you know your child better than anyone. If you feel like your child is not meeting the milestones for her age, or if you sense that she is struggling through the milestones, you should share your concerns with her doctor immediately. But remember, your child might be reaching milestones later than expected. That does not necessarily mean that she has problems.

The earlier a problem is identified, the better it is for your child. The reason for that is that development is activity-dependent, or, a child’s brain development is shaped by the experiences the child has during those early months and years.

Reference:

http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/facts.html