Watching babies grow is one of the most exhilarating experiences in a parent’s life. Whether the baby is starting to smile back or taking their first steps, parents always feel a tremendous rush of emotions at each stage. However, these milestones are more than little opportunities for celebrations and their appearance holds quite a bit of significance for both doctors and parents.

Developmental milestones are a set of physical skills and behaviours that children display as they grow. These behaviours often follow a specific pattern and serve as important indicators to measure a baby's growth and development.

However, it must be remembered that not all children are alike. Although developmental milestones are an excellent way to check your baby’s growth, their order can vary for some children as well. As a parent, it is important to not get too caught up in tracking your child’s milestones and allowing them to develop at their own pace. The baby who was the first one to sit may be the last child to walk.

Ultimately, no one can know a child as well as their parents. Therefore, a parent’s observations hold tremendous significance for health professionals when it comes to measuring a child’s development. However, parents can also play a part in helping children reach their milestones through various activities, behaviours and responses.

How to Encourage Milestone Development In Your Child

Following are some simple ways you can support your child’s development and have fun while you’re at it.

Newborns: Atthis point, your baby is nothing more than a cuddly warm bundle of joy. Get to know your baby and spend time loving, cuddling and talking to them. Have as much skin to skin time as possible and try to learn the signs that indicate when your child is hungry or sleepy. Providing your child with love and support will help them feel safe and secure and this will help them learn, grow and develop further.

4 months: Babies start to develop speech skills at this age by listening to the sounds surrounding them. Encourage these skills by talking to your baby, reading and singing to them.

6 months: Babies start to develop their motor skills by this age. Once they’ve learnt to steady their head, they will try to raise themselves, first on bent elbows and then on fully extended arms. The first six months of a baby’s life are spent gaining control over their posture, which sets the pace for other motor developments including grasping and reaching. Encourage your baby to lift themselves by giving them tummy time during play. Encourage their grasping reflexes by giving them different objects to play with.

8 months: Babies at this stage are curious beings and are always on a tiny quest to explore their surroundings. Encourage this curiosity by talking to your baby, and making animated voices and faces at them. Your child will also be sitting and even beginning to crawl at this stage, you can encourage these skills by putting some tempting toys for them to reach, and crawl towards.

12 months: At this stage, your baby will increase exploring their surroundings and their personal and social skills will increase as well. They will also start“cruising” which is the ability to walk while holding on to things. Encourage their personality development and Introduce toys that will help them walk and stand up.

Conclusion

Developmental milestones are a simple way to keep a track of your baby’s growth. However, every child grows at their own pace and may not follow a set record. This does not necessarily mean that there is something wrong with your child. In fact, with a little encouragement and help, your baby is likely to achieve those milestones with ease. If however, you are concerned about your child’s development, you should reach out to a doctor for a thorough evaluation.

To consult with a healthcare professional, log on to www.shifaam.com or download the Shifaam health App now from Google Play (bit.ly/2JqZo3C)or the iOS App Store (apple.co/2QUVxQz) and connect with your healthcare provider safely from home.