Typical Patterns For Your Baby’s Physical Development Part 2

Typical Play Development

By 3 months of age, while lying on his or her back, your baby should:

• Visually track a moving toy from side to side
• Attempt to reach for a rattle held above their chest
• Keep head in the middle to watch faces or toys

By 6 months of age your baby should:

• Reach for a nearby toy while on tummy
• Transfer a toy from one hand to the other while lying on back
• Reach both hands to play with feet while lying on back

By 9 months of age your baby should:

• While sitting in a high chair, be able to hold and drink from a bottle
• Explore and examine an object using both hands• Turn several pages of a chunky (board) book at once
• Imitate others in simple play

By 12 months of age your baby should:

• Finger feed itself
• Release objects into a container with a large opening
• Use thumb and pointer finger to pick up tiny objects

By 15 months of age your baby should:

• Stack two objects or blocks
• Help with getting undressed
• Hold and drink from a cup

Typical Physical Development

By 3 months of age, while lying on his or her tummy, your baby should:

• Push up on arms• Lift and hold head up

By 6 months of age your baby should:

• Use hands to support self in sitting position
• Roll from back to tummy
• Accept entire weight with legs while standing with support

By 9 months of age your baby should:

• Sit and reach for toys without falling
• Move from tummy or back into sitting
• Creep on hands and knees with alternate arm and leg movement

By 12 months of age your baby should:

• Pull to stand and cruise along furniture• Stand alone and take several independent steps

By 15 months of age your baby should:

• Walk independently and seldom fall• Squat to pick up a toy

Signs you should watch for in physical development to report to your healthcare professional include:

• Has difficulty lifting head
• Stiff legs with little or no movement
• Pushes back with head
• Keeps hands fisted and lacks arm movement
• Rounded back
• Unable to lift head up
• Poor head control
• Difficult to bring arms forward to reach out
• Arches back and stiffens legs
• Arms held back
• Stiff legs
• Uses one hand predominantly
• Rounded back
• Poor use of arms in sitting
• Difficulty crawling
• Uses only one side of body to move
• Inability to straighten back
• Cannot take weight on legs
• Difficulty getting to stand because of stiff legs and pointed toes
• Only uses arms to pull up to standing
• Sits with weight to one side
• Strongly flexed or stiffly extended arms
• Needs to use hand to maintain sitting
• Unable to take steps independently
• Poor standing balance, falls frequently
• Walks on toes

Source: American Academy of Pediatrics

Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. You should not use the information in this article to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your pediatrician or family doctor. Please consult a doctor with any questions or concerns you might have regarding your or your child’s condition.

This article is FREE to publish with the resource box.