Children begin developing physical, social, emotional and language skills from birth. Infants and children demonstrate healthy development by learning and practicing age-appropriate activities and through interactions with family, caregivers and peers. For healthy development, children need time for active and focused play, as well as exposure to language in books, conversation and music.
Identification
Infant and child development refers to your child's growing ability to practice and participate in more complex activities, according to the University of Michigan Health System. Development is measured across several categories--including gross and fine motor skills, and language, cognitive and social skills. Children develop from top to bottom, gaining control of heads, faces and arms before the torso, legs and extremities. Infants learn to raise their heads, smile and reach before sitting, crawling or standing.
Significance
Developmental milestones provide a tool for parents and professionals to measure a child's social, cognitive and physical development. Milestones establish a timeline for when children typically accomplish a specific skill or task. The University of Michigan Health System lists milestone information for children up to age 12 on its website. Infant milestones are broken down by the month, because babies develop so quickly during their first year, but subsequent guidelines are based on yearly developmental timelines.
Types
Healthy development enables children to explore, manipulate and interact with their environment. Gross motor skills for infants include reaching, sitting, crawling, turning over and pulling up, according to the National Network for Child Care. For older children, running, jumping, climbing and skipping indicate gross motor progress. Fine motor skills for babies include grasping toys, holding and using a spoon and feeding themselves finger foods. Older children refine fine motor skills by using art materials, sorting toys and puzzles. Children develop language and cognitive skills through positive communication and access to books, and through problem-solving activities.
Features
Skills to watch for during your infant's first three months include lifting the head and chest, following a moving object with her eyes, response to voices, bright colors and lights, cooing and smiling. By six months, your infant can probably hold his head steady when sitting, help hold his bottle, roll over, imitate familiar actions, babble, laugh and squeal. By age 1, expect your child to drink from a cup with help, fill and empty containers, walk, repeat sounds and say his first words, according to the National Network for Child Care. As children grow, skills progress to complex movements such as kicking, climbing stairs, scribbling and speaking in sentences, as indicated on the the University of Michigan Health System site.
Concerns
Not all children grow and develop at the same rate. Variations in development, including reaching milestones earlier or later, are normal. If you suspect a delay in your child's development, consult your pediatrician. Developmental delay could be caused by a number of factors, including health issues and genetics, according to the University of Michigan Health System. If needed, your pediatrician can refer you to a specialist or an intervention program suitable to your child's needs.
