DEVELOPMENT MILESTONES: BIRTH TO 3 YEARS

The years between birth and 3 years of age are a time of dramatic growth and development. Although children develop at their own pace, certain stages of development happen in basically the same order for all children.

The following are some general developmental milestones for children from birth through the age of 3 years. Development of premature children should be measured starting with their expected birth date, rather than their actual birth date.

Beginning at birth, a full-term baby learns to use muscles voluntarily. He or she learns first to control the head, then the arms, trunk, and legs. Newborns also begin crying at birth as a method of communicating. Other forms of communication, such as smiling and imitating sounds from others, follow as the baby's brain is able to know what sights and sounds mean.

During infancy, usually a child concentrates on only one skill at a time, often forgetting something that has already been learned. However, the child re-learns that skill later, as more skills can be remembered at the same time.

By 6 months, most infants can:

lift up their heads and chests when lying on their stomach
follow moving objects with their eyes
reach for objects with one or both hands
grasp objects
transfer objects from one hand to another
put objects into the mouth and
turn their heads in the direction of a sound

By 9 months, a child is usually ready to:

crawl
sit without support
pull up to a standing or sitting position
walk when supported
manipulate objects with both hands
understand the word "no"
look for objects that are shown, then hidden
imitate hand clapping and
wave good-bye

In addition, children at this stage are usually shy with strangers.

At around 1 year of age, most children can:

sleep through most nights without crying
walk while holding on to furniture, or walk alone
grasp and release small objects
throw, drop, and place objects in a box or basket
understand how someone feels by responding to laughter, anger, or other emotions
show affection with a familiar adult
understand simple concepts, like where a ball goes when it drops out of sight
babble and possibly speak 2 or 3 words

At around 18 months, a child should be able to:

run
crawl backwards down stairs
walk with feet closer together
walk upstairs holding the hand of an older child or adult
stoop to pick up an object
speak with a vocabulary of 6 to 20 words
use spoons and cups and
take shoes and socks off unassisted

Children at this age are likely to be independent, self-oriented, and unreasonable. They enjoy pushing the limits by repeatedly doing something they should not be doing. They may cling to a parent one day and seek independence the next. They also have a smaller appetite than during infancy, which is normal for this age group.

Around the age of 2 years, a child's language development blossoms. The vocabulary may include 30 to 50 single words, and short sentences. Walking becomes steadier, and posture begins to straighten. The child may be ready to take an interest in toilet training. In addition, the child:

can identify his or her own body parts, as well as the body parts of other people
likes to play with food at mealtimes
may hold his or her breath to get attention and
may try inserting objects into all areas of the body

Two-year-old children may be negative and clingy and are often afraid of strangers, relatives, and doctors.

Most 3-year olds can:

speak clearly with few errors
run with more control
climb
throw and kick a ball
ride a tricycle
dress and undress themselves
eat with a fork and spoon
control their bladder and bowel functions during the day and sometimes at night
play imaginatively with toys and
show affection to younger brothers or sisters

A 3-year-old may also begin using rude words, lying, and stealing in order to taunt parents and test limits.

For more information about the growth and development of your child, contact your healthcare provider or the American Academy of Pediatrics at (847) 434-4000.

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

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