Your child’s milestones, from birth to five years, Down’s syndrome,

A sleeping baby. Every parent is excited to see their baby smile back at them, say their first word, and take their first step. PHOTO| FILE

What you need to know:

  • 6 weeks: Your baby has good neck support and head control. He or she can smile and is able to recognise the faces of those he lives with. However, he cannot see further than 8-12 inches away.

  • 3 months: His head is steady. When he’s on his stomach, he can lift his head and chest, and focus on moving objects.

  • 6 months: Your baby can sit comfortably without support. He can probably roll on his stomach and back again. He can also support his weight with his legs and bounce on your lap while holding him. He can coo and babble, and can see further.

Every parent is excited to see their baby smile back at them, say their first word, and take their first step.

Such skills are referred to as developmental milestones. They are the set of skills or tasks that most children are able to do by a certain age, and they give important indications about the development of a child.

Having an idea of what to expect at each stage of your child’s development can help you notice when these milestones delay. Each age level is characterised by a certain milestone. That said, babies are unique, for example, one might sit earlier than his or her peers, but be the last one to learn how to walk.

Doctor Anjumnara Omar, a paediatric endocrinologist, gives a guide on expected milestones at various stages, in a normally developing child:

At birth: Child development begins at birth. The baby gives a strong cry at birth, is active, and can suckle.

6 weeks: Your baby has good neck support and head control. He or she can smile and is able to recognise the faces of those he lives with. However, he cannot see further than 8-12 inches away.

3 months: His head is steady. When he’s on his stomach, he can lift his head and chest, and focus on moving objects.

6 months: Your baby can sit comfortably without support. He can probably roll on his stomach and back again. He can also support his weight with his legs and bounce on your lap while holding him. He can coo and babble, and can see further.

8 months: Your baby starts crawling, gets into a sitting position without being supported, and can also stand with support.

9 months: Your baby can use his thumb and pointer finger to grasp an object. This skill is known as pincer grip.

1  year: Your baby can stand without support and take steps, though some babies can walk at this age.

1-2   years: Your child is able to make single syllabic sounds such as ‘ma’ and ‘ba’.

2 years:  He can make two syllabic sounds such as ‘mama’, and form sentences. He has started to identify shapes and colours, can scribble with a crayon, build a tower of four or more blocks, and throw a ball.

3-5 years: Is able to make more complex sentences and words, and have a conversation.

SPECIAL CASES

In some cases, a child might not attain milestones within the expected age range, a factor that can worry a parent. Worth noting is that some children develop at a slower pace, with boys generally being slower than girls. Usually, a margin of, or slightly more, or less than three months is given. This means that some milestones can be achieved three months before, or after the expected age. Beyond this, then it is a cause for concern.

Failure to attain certain milestones could be due to complications at birth or during pregnancy, genetic causes such as Downs’s syndrome, though in some cases, there is no specific cause. Some conditions such as rickets, which affects your child’s bone development, are treatable.

Muscular disorders and encephalopathy (abnormal functioning of the brain) might improve with rehabilitation and occupational therapy. However, children with conditions like Down’s syndrome, depending on severity, may not be able to attain these milestones, even with therapy.

Though children of the same age do not all attain milestones at the same time, look out for warning signs and see if concerned, for prompt treatment.