 Developmental
Milestones
What
are some of the developmental milestones my child should reach by two years
of age?
Your baby
enters her second year and becomes a toddler, crawling vigorously, starting
to walk, even talking a little. Exploring the boundaries established by your
rules and her own physical and developmental limits will occupy much of her
time for the next few years.
Here are
some other milestones to look for.
Movement
milestones
-
Walks
alone
-
Pulls
toys behind her while walking
-
Carries
large toy or several toys while walking
-
Begins
to run
-
Stands
on tiptoe
-
Kicks
a ball
-
Climbs
onto and down from furniture unassisted
-
Walks
up and down stairs holding on to support
Milestones
in hand and finger skills
- Scribbles spontaneously
- Turns over container
to pour out contents
- Builds tower of four
blocks or more
- Might use one hand more
frequently than the other
-
Points
to object or picture when it’s named for him
-
Recognizes
names of familiar people, objects, and body parts
-
Says
several single words (by fifteen to eighteen months)
-
Uses
simple phrases (by eighteen to twenty-four months)
-
Uses
two- to four-word sentences
-
Follows
simple instructions
-
Repeats
words overheard in conversation
Social and emotional
milestones
-
Imitates
behavior of others, especially adults and older children
-
Increasingly
aware of herself as separate from others
-
Increasingly
enthusiastic about company of other children
-
Demonstrates increasing
independence
-
Begins to show
defiant behavior
-
Increasing episodes
of separation anxiety toward midyear, then they fade
Developmental
health watch
Because
each child develops at his own particular pace, it’s impossible to tell
exactly when yours will perfect a given skill. The developmental milestones
listed in this book will give you a general idea of the changes you can expect
as your child gets older, but don’t be alarmed if he takes a slightly
different course. Alert your pediatrician, however, if he displays any of
the following signs of possible developmental delay for this age range.
-
Cannot
walk by eighteen months
-
Fails
to develop a mature heel-toe walking pattern after several months of walking,
or walks exclusively on his toes
-
Does
not speak at least fifteen words by eighteen months
-
Does
not use two-word sentences by age two
-
Does
not seem to know the function of common household objects (brush, telephone,
bell, fork, spoon) by fifteen months
-
Does
not imitate actions or words by the end of this period
-
Does
not follow simple instructions by age two
-
Cannot
push a wheeled toy by age two
Published online: 6/07
Source: Caring
for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5 (Copyright ©
2004 American Academy of Pediatrics, Updated 5/05)
To order a copy of this book visit the AAP
Bookstore.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information contained
in this publication should not be used as a substitute for the medical care
and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your
pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.
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