Babies develop at their own pace, so it's impossible to
tell exactly when your child will learn a given skill.
The developmental milestones listed below will give you
a general idea of the changes you can expect, but don't
be alarmed if your own baby's development takes a
slightly different course.
Social and Emotional
- Begins to develop a social smile
- Enjoys playing with other people and may cry when playing stops
- Becomes more expressive and communicates more with face and body
- Imitates some movements and facial expressions
Movement
- Raises head and chest when lying on stomach
- Supports upper body with arms when lying on stomach
- Stretches legs out and kicks when lying on stomach or back
- Opens and shuts hands
- Pushes down on legs when feet are placed on a firm surface
- Brings hand to mouth
- Takes swipes at dangling objects with hands
- Grasps and shakes hand toys
Vision
- Watches faces intently
- Follows moving objects
- Recognizes familiar objects and people at a distance
- Starts using hands and eyes in coordination
Hearing and Speech
- Smiles at the sound of your voice
- Begins to babble
- Begins to imitate some sounds
- Turns head toward direction of sound
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Developmental Health Watch
Alert your child's doctor or nurse if your child displays any
of the following signs of possible developmental delay for
this age range.
- Does not seem to respond to loud noises
- Does not notice hands by 2 months
- Does not follow moving objects with eyes by 2 to 3 months
- Does not grasp and hold objects by 3 months
- Does not smile at people by 3 months
- Cannot support head well by 3 months
- Does not reach for and grasp toys by 3 to 4 months
- Does not babble by 3 to 4 months
- Does not bring objects to mouth by 4 months
- Begins babbling, but does not try to imitate any of your sounds by 4 months
- Does not push down with legs when feet are placed on a firm surface by 4 months
- Has trouble moving one or both eyes in all directions
- Crosses eyes most of the time (occasional crossing of the eyes is normal in these first months)
- Does not pay attention to new faces, or seems very frightened by new faces or surroundings
- Experiences a dramatic loss of skills he or she
once
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From CARING FOR YOUR BABY AND YOUNG CHILD: BIRTH TO AGE 5 by Steven
Shelov, Robert E. Hannermann, © 1991, 1993, 1998, 2004 by the American Academy
of Pediatrics. Used by permission of Bantam Books, a division of Random House, Inc.
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