Infancy refers to the period of time from your baby's birth to her first birthday. This period is full of firsts, including her first smile, first word and perhaps even her first step. These and other developmental milestones indicate that your...
The changes you notice in your baby come from an interplay between your child's physical development and his interaction with the environment. Although at least some of your baby's development is directed by his genes, babies need proper...
Whether it's saying his first word or using the potty for the first time, it's exciting to watch your infant or toddler reach developmental milestones. Although doctors and health organizations offer developmental guidelines, no two children are...
Watching a baby grow and develop over the first year is amazing and exciting for parents and family members. Though babies are unique in how they develop as individuals, there are certain guidelines that help track developmental milestones. It's...
Babies start learning from the day they are born. Everything they see, hear, feel, taste and smell helps to develop their perceptual abilities. In infancy they also start developing cognitive powers of memory, language, thinking and reasoning,...
New parents are often anxious to see how their baby stacks up against others when it comes to physical and psychological growth. But always comparing your child to someone else's may leave you feeling frustrated and worried about your child's...
During the first year, your infant progresses from the newborn to the toddler stage. Your baby is already developing skills that will help her master walking, express herself and even strengthen the muscles that she will eventually use to grip a...
During the first year, your baby learns how to communicate needs and feelings, discovers how to use his or her body to move around in space and develops trust in parents and caregivers. The first year can be a frenzied evolution of growth and...
Memory, language, reasoning and thinking all begin developing during the first year of life. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises that it's important to monitor cognitive development during the first year to identify any delays....
Infant developmental benchmarks were created to use as a guide to help parents gauge how their child compares with other babies the same age. Failure to meet certain milestones shouldn't be cause for excess concern, but do consult a pediatrician...
Infants are a joy to everyone around them. From watching them laugh for the first time, seeing them recognize their parents, and feeding them solid food for the first time, every day provides something new with a baby. Many of an infant's...
A 3-month-old baby is steadily becoming more active and is beginning to connect more with the world around him. He is also steadily gaining weight and growing taller. It is important to understand the milestones he is capable of achieving so that...
Your baby naturally wants to move around and explore her environment. Before she crawls or walks, though, she will probably learn to get around by rolling. Like other developmental milestones, rolling is a skill that some babies develop earlier...
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...
At three months old, your baby is rapidly developing physically and mentally. Although your baby will not be crawling or rolling over, there are still many milestones that are met by the third month. Pediatricians use milestones as a general...
Providing baby with ample stimulation will promote mental and physical development. Engaging baby in play can improve her motor skills---an infant's ability carry out most physical activities. Some activities that parents naturally do are actually...
The infant period is generally defined as birth to 1 year of age. During this time, discernible physiologic changes occur in all organ systems. In addition, your infant develops the ability to respond to external stimulation. At birth, he has...
During the first half of your baby's first year, you watched your baby grow and change before your eyes. Now that baby is entering the second half of his first year, the changes and developments are coming faster than ever. By the end of your...
The rapid cognitive, physical and social development of an infant after birth can be one of the most enjoyable yet worrisome experiences for parents. Slow or delayed infant development and failure to meet milestones can be upsetting, although each...
The infant stage refers to the period from birth to 12 months of age. During their first year, babies explore the world through their senses. Infants need opportunities to experience movement, language, color, texture and music. Developmental...
The stages at which an infant can grasp and hold objects are important milestones in a baby's life. Learning to grab things not only makes play more interesting for the baby, but it also prepares him for future skills, such as eating with a spoon...
In infancy, a baby develops extremely rapidly in various ways. Physical development is one of the most obvious types of development, as parents can watch as a baby goes through physical milestones. These new physical abilities are also some of the...
Infant muscle development begins with reflexes and expands to include increasing control of large and small muscles. As your baby uses his muscles during play, he grows stronger and learns to control movement. To promote healthy muscle...
After they are born, children gradually develop new capabilities over time as their bodies mature and grow. Although significant variations from the norm can occur, in the infant and toddler stage you can look for a number of signs to get a rough...
If your infant is still scooting on the floor and her peers are crawling with ease, you may wonder if she's developing at the right pace. Infants who are slightly behind their peers usually catch up shortly, says BabyCenter.com. However, some...
According to MedlinePlus, an infant is considered premature if the mother gives birth before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Premature infants experience lower birth weights and, depending on how early they arrive, may suffer from additional medical...
According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, infants and young children have unique potential to learn language. The institute points to increasing evidence that an infant's developing brain represents a...
Every child develops at her own pace. Some children roll over early; others wait a few extra weeks or months. Some kids skip crawling altogether or crab-crawl rather than crawling on all fours. But it's good to have a general idea of the skills...
The child development organization Zero to Three notes that a child's brain development begins before birth and continues throughout the duration of infancy and toddlerhood. While many aspects of infant development--including most physical...
