Starting at birth, your child will begin to reach milestones in how they play, learn, act and speak. Examples of milestones include taking a first step, smiling, waving “bye-bye” or reaching for a toy. Every child is different and will develop at his/her own pace, but if your child is not developing properly, you can take the necessary steps to help your child reach his/her full potential. Learn the basics of child development so you can engage with your child and make sure they are on the right track.

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Child development refers to the sequence of physical, language, thought and emotional changes that occur in a child from birth to the beginning of adulthood. During this process, a child progresses from dependency on their parents/guardians to increasing independence. Child development focuses on how children are able to do more complex things as they get older.

Children develop skills that focus on 5 main areas:

Adaptive: the ability to engage in self-help skills such as toileting, eating and dressing

Cognitive: (Learning and Thinking) the ability to understand cause and effect and to problem solve

Communication: (Speech and Language) the ability to use and understand speech and language

• Speech impairments are those areas where an individual has difficulty with articulation, fluency and voice
• Language impairments are those areas where an individual has problems expressing needs, ideas, or information, and/or in understanding what others say

Motor and Movement: the ability to use large and small muscles for movement, balance, reaching, crawling, talking, grasping, picking things up and much more

• Fine Motor Skills: Children learn to use their smaller muscles, like muscles in the hands, fingers, mouth and wrists.  Children use their fine motor skills when writing, holding small items, buttoning clothing, turning pages, eating, cutting with scissors, drinking from a cup, bottle, or breastfeeding.
• Gross motor Skills:  Children develop their gross motor skills when they use their muscles which require whole body movement and which involve the large (core stabilizing) muscles of the body to perform everyday functions, such as standing and walking, running and jumping, hopping, or sitting upright at the table.

Social & Emotional: Social-emotional learning is the process by which children learn:

• to recognize their own emotions and the emotions of others
• establish friendships/relationships and connections with others
• learn to make good decisions
• their ability to regulate and approach challenges and relate to others

Skills such as taking a first step, smiling for the first time, and waving “bye-bye” are called developmental milestones. Most5 children attemp, learn and master these skills by a certain age.

Because children develop at their own pace, milestones are not concrete rules. We can’t know exactly when a child might learn a new skill. However, we do know that Developmental Milestones matter! From birth to age 5, your child should reach milestones in how he or she plays, learns, speaks, acts, and moves.

You can check or track your child’s milestones with easy-to-use illustrated checklists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); you can also get tips for encouraging your child’s optimal development, and find out what to do if you are ever concerned about how your child is developing.

Checklists by age in English:

2 Month Checklist

4 Month Checklist

6 Month Checklist

9 Month Checklist

12 Month/1 Year Checklist

15 Month Checklist

18 Month Checklist

2 Year Checklist

30 Month Checklist

3 Year Checklist

4 Year Checklist

5 Year Checklist

Listas de verificación por edad en Espanol:

Lista de verificación de 2 Meses

Lista de verificación de 4 Meses

Lista de verificación de 6 Meses

Lista de verificación de 9 Meses

Lista de verificación de 12 Meses

Lista de verificacion de 15 meses

Lista de verificación de 18 Meses

Lista de verificación de 2 Años

Lista de verificacion de 30 meses

Lista de verificación de 3 Años

Lista de verificación de 4 Años

Lista de verificación de 5 Años

The CDC has also developed a Tracker App for parents to monitor and track your child’s milestones in how he or she plays, learns, speaks, acts, and moves. Photos and videos in this app illustrate each milestone and make tracking them for your child easy and fun!

Features:

• Add a Child – enter personalized information about your child or multiple children
• Milestone Tracker – track your child’s developmental progress by looking for important milestones using an interactive, illustrated checklist
• Milestone Photos and Videos – know what each milestone looks like so that you can better identify them in your own child
• Tips and Activities – support your child’s development at every age
• When to Act Early – know when it’s time to “act early” and talk with your child’s doctor about developmental concerns
• Appointments – keep track of your child’s doctors’ appointments and get reminders about recommended developmental screenings
• Milestone Summary – get a summary of your child’s milestones to view, and share with or email to your child’s doctor and other important care providers

IMPORTANT! The use of this app is not a substitute for the use of validated, standardized developmental screening tools as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.  If you have questions or concerns, talk to your child’s doctor, teacher, caregiver or contact Help Me Grow Marin.

Developmental Tracking APP for Apple or Android

• ASQ3-Intervention-Activities-Handouts English 
• ASQ-Actividades-Folletos en Espanol
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