YOUR CHILD’S HEALTH CARE: DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES

Although no two children follow exactly the same path in their development, when we consider the complexity of the developmental process, there is a remarkably consistent sequence followed by most children. In the first 5 years of life, your child progresses from a newborn baby who has relatively limited ways of communicating with you, to a child starting school who is capable of sophisticated functioning in several domains.

Parents like to follow the course of the child’s development, and to record the occasions when their child achieves certain milestones. You can record these dates and ages in the space provided in the table below.

Parents are often the first to detect signs of developmental delay, when the child is late in achieving milestones. The table below lists a number of developmental milestones and the average or range of ages at which most children achieve them. Remember that this is a guide only, and there is considerable variation in development between children. A child’s development is a dynamic process. You should not be alarmed if your child is slower in achieving these milestones. Equally, fast development may not indicate that your child is unusually gifted. However, if your child is consistently and significantly delayed in the age at which he reaches these milestones, then you should consult your doctor or maternal and child health nurse. He or she will check your child’s development, and refer him to a specialist if necessary. Parents usually know intuitively whether their child is doing well devel-opmentally or not. Do not hesitate to seek reassurance if you are at all concerned.

Remember that these ages are average ages, and that there are children who are faster and children who are slower developers. Just because your child is later in achieving milestones than outlined in the table above, it does not mean that he is developing abnormally. However, if he is later in a number of milestones and you are at all concerned, or if you are worried about your child’s hearing or language development at any age you should not hesitate to consult your doctor or maternal and child health nurse.

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