A Child Development Checklist - For the Joy of It! To monitor your child's development over the period of their childhood, a child development checklist is a simple way to consider. A checklist will specify what an average child should have achieved or attained by a certain age. As you watch your child achieve or attain a level of competence, you're sure to feel the joy of it!
The problem with a child development checklist is that many parents regard these as 'rules' rather than guides. You might consider an item assigned to a specific age as something your child must have attained or achieved if your child is to be considered normal. It is true that such items are based on averages: an average child has attained this or that. If your child has not kept up with the average, you may fear that something is wrong with your child. While that is a possibility, it is by no means a necessity. Children grow at variable rates. A child slow to develop speech, for instance, might very well end up a language professor. As long as the child is exhibiting some progress, there is no cause for alarm. If your child has not achieved or attained a certain level on a checklist, you should do what may be done to encourage development, and if the level has not been achieved or attained by the middle of the next stage of development, a parent should then consult their pediatrician. When using a child development checklist, always keep in mind that children develop at variable rates.
The following child development checklist by Helene Goldnadel lists those items commonly found on such lists for the first year of a child's life and is meant to represent what is common among such lists. Others may be more specific, but these lists usually sub-divide stages into more discrete periods. Because the
stages are fairly short and development of traits may occur anytime within a stage, this child development checklist retains the more general grouping.
Age 0 to 4 months: One foot tall, head/chest/abdomen equal circumference, eyes move in unison, eyes track hand movement, tearful cries, coos, gurgles, makes vowel sounds, recognizes smell of breast milk, each month head size increases, smiles, squeals, turns head to sound, lifts head, pushes self up on arms, incipient teeth.
Age 4 to 8 months: 28-30 inches tall, double birth weight, normal heart rate, locates sound, babies with double syllables, more facial expressions, grasps, pulls, sits with support, stands with support, partial crawls, teeth appear, blinking, swallows soft foods, transfers objects between hands, holds bottle, plays peek-aboo, reaches, reflexes increase.
Age 9 to 12 months: One and a half times birth size, 20-21 lbs., or 3 times the birth weight, heart rate at 80 to 110, body temperature still affected by environment temperature, start of anterior fontanel closure, 8 to 10 teeth appear, hands disproportionately large, eyes work together, but distance vision (over 13 to 20 ft) not developed, one finger exploration, pinches, stacks, holds and drops, pulls, barely stands, crawls on stairs, imitates, utters words, plays. Anxious around others.
Helene Goldnadel suggests you to use this chart only to check your child's development, not to grade it. If you are concerned in any area of development, see your pediatrician. Above all, enjoy your baby's growth. It's part of the joy of parenting!