A pediatrician keeps a watchful eye on many aspects of a child's development in the first years of life. There will be many changes that will influence your child's physical, motor and cognitive development at various stages throughout infancy to the preschool years. According to the University of Michigan Health System, there is a difference between a child's physical growth and his physical development. Growing is about increasing in height and weight, whereas development is about learning new skills.
At Three Months
By the time a baby is three months old, she should be able to lift her head when you hold her at your shoulder or lay her on her tummy. Your baby's pediatrician will check to see if she turns her head toward light and the sound of a voice. A doctor tests the progress of a baby's sensory development and attention span, as these can affect how a child performs motor tasks. At this age, babies are making cooing sounds, and following people and other moving objects with their eyes.
At Six Months
At six months old a pediatrician will check to make sure that your baby is able to roll over from his tummy to his back, and then roll again in the other direction. A doctor will also take note of how well your baby sits without assistance. Babies who are six months old are developing the ability to hold more objects in their hands, and are starting to push up on their arms. By this time your baby should to able to recognize faces familiar to him and be smiling at himself in a mirror.
At Nine Months
Beginning sometime around nine months old, babies start to point at things that catch their attention, as they learn to put their motor skills together with the senses of sight and sound. A nine-month-old is beginning to explore the world around him although he may be somewhat shy around strangers. By this time, your baby should know his own name and respond to it. At nine months, he should be able to bear weight on his feet when you hold him in a standing position. A pediatrician will check your baby's muscle tone and strength, as he looks for predictable patterns related to the development of your child's gross and fine motor skills.
At Twelve Months
By the time you take your baby for her 12-month well baby examination, she should be babbling and saying a few words. At 12 months your baby should be mimicking sounds and imitating actions that others make. She should also be able to understand and respond to simple directions. If your baby's motor development is on track, she will be sitting on her own without help, crawling, and pulling herself up to a standing position. Your pediatrician will assess your baby's balance and how well she moves, especially if she is starting to walk.
At 18 Months
When a baby is 18 months old, he should have no trouble pushing and pulling light toys. At this age, most children are learning to walk on their own. This is also a time when a child may begin to take more risks. By now your toddler is probably looking for objects, which are out of sight, and doing simple tasks like stacking two blocks. Your pediatrician may ask if your child is saying at least eight words, and whether he sometimes plays alone with his toys.
At Two Years
By age two your child should be able to drink from a straw and feed herself using a spoon. She should start to verbalize her wishes and be able to communicate in two- and three-word sentences. Two-year-olds can usually point to body parts like the eyes and nose if asked. A toddler this age is beginning to be aware of whether a parent approves or disapproves of her behavior. She should be able to open drawers and boxes, stand on tiptoe, push a wheeled toy, and walk up and down steps with some assistance. By this age, a parent can start to potty train.
At Three Years
A pediatrician checks for several developmental milestones by the time a child is three years old. A three-year-old should be well on his way to potty training, and is now using a dominant hand. He should be able to walk up steps alternating his feet. Although preschoolers this age normally don't like to share their toys, they should be learning to interact with other children. At age three, children tend to have active imaginations; they can jump in place with both feet and hold crayons in their hands. Both their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination begin to improve. Even after age three, your pediatrician will continue to watch your child's development throughout his early years to make sure that he is on target.
