Babies are virtually helpless and reliant upon reflexes when first born, but they soon become cognizant of the world around them and have multiple exploratory tools at their disposal by the time they reach their first year. Although babies develop according to their own timetables, they can be expected to learn new skills at a similar pace.
Types of Skills
Babies develop skills in five main areas, according to HowKidsDevelop.com. Gross motor skill development enables babies to use large muscle groups to perform activities such as sitting up and standing. Fine motor skill development enables babies to use small muscles in the hand to perform functions such as picking up pieces of food and scribbling on a piece of paper. Cognitive development helps babies to solve problems and learn, speech and language development allow babies to learn how to comprehend and use language, and social and emotional development helps babies interact with others.
Milestones
Developmental milestones are functional skills or tasks that babies are generally able to perform by a certain age. Babies reach milestones in a set sequence, according to HowKidsDevelop.com. For example, they won't be able to walk until after they've mastered sitting up and pulling themselves up to stand.
Assessing Development
Parents and pediatricians are responsible for assessing babies' development of skills. Pediatricians can screen babies by observing them and encouraging them to perform specific age-appropriate milestones, but they also rely on parents to report their observations from spending time with their baby on a daily basis, according to the University of Michigan Health System. Although pediatricians examine milestones to ensure that babies are developing at a normal pace, the age range for most milestones is broad, according to the University of Michigan Health System.
Major Milestones
Babies meet a host of milestones by their first birthday. Some of these milestones are small but necessary for further development of skills while other milestones are obvious and wildly celebrated by most parents. By age three months, for example, most babies can lift their heads when they are held at a person's shoulder, move their eyes to follow objects, smile when others smile at them and react to games such as "peek-a-boo," according to the National Network for Child Care. By six months, most babies can roll over, reach for and grasp objects, open their mouths for spoons and identify familiar faces. By one year, most babies say their first word, walk alone or while holding onto someone's hand, drink from a cup with some assistance, use their forefingers and thumbs to grasp small objects and understand basic commands.
Abnormal Skill Development
If a pediatrician expresses concern about a baby's skill development, she will generally refer his parents to a specialist who can accurately diagnose and help treat babies with developmental delays. Early intervention will give a baby the boost he needs to reach his fullest potential.
