Baby milestones: 7 to 12 months

Understanding the developmental milestones of a baby is a good way for parents to monitor their child's growth. It is of course important to mention that all babies are different and some may achieve certain milestones later than others, and this is nothing to be worried about (unless you notice this delay happening consistently).

Following on from my previous article "Baby milestones: 1 to 6 months", here listed below are the major milestones to look out for in your child between 7 to 12 months.

Baby milestones: 1 to 6 months

Understanding the developmental milestones of a baby is a good way for parents to monitor their child's growth. It is of course important to mention that all babies are different and some may achieve certain milestones later than others, and this is nothing to be worried about (unless you notice this delay happening consistently).

Here listed below are some of the major milestones to look out for in your child.

1 month: 

• Lifts head when lying on tummy
• Responds to sound
• May stare at faces

2 months:

• Starts to vocalise (ooh, aah, coos, gurgles)
• Can start to follow objects
• Plays with hands
• Lifts head at 45-degree angle for short periods

3 months:

• Smiles
• Lifts head > 45 degrees (and shoulders) when lying on tummy (mini-push up)
• Visually tracks objects
• Recognises your voice

 

4 months: 

• Smiles and laughs more frequently
• More vocalising and responds by cooing when you talk to him/her
• Starts to roll over (most commonly from tummy to back)
• Starts to bring hands together and swipe at toys 

 

5 months: 

• Plays with hands and feet
• Grasp toys
• Rolls over in both directions
• Imitates sounds

  

6 months: 

• Sits without support
• Imitates sounds
• Turns to sounds and voices
• Mouths objects
• Start solid foods

Are you worried about your child's headshape or torticollis?

Plagiocephaly is a condition characterised by flattening of the side of the skull, commonly caused by a positional head preference towards that particular side.

Brachiocephaly is a condition characterised by flattening of the back of the skull.

Scaphocephaly is a condition characterised by a disproportionately long and narrow skull.

Torticollis is commonly associated with head shape abnormalities, in particular plagiocephaly. Torticollis, or wry neck, is a condition which results in tightness and shortening of the sternocleidomastoid muscle of the neck. This is often characterised by a limited range of motion in both cervical rotation and lateral flexion. The head is typically tilted in lateral flexion down towards the affected muscle and rotated toward the opposite side.

Tips for managing early headshape abnormalities:

• Monitor your child for any positional head preference(s)
• If plagiocephaly, facilitate lying on the non-affected side (with rolled towel or pillow placed behind to support spine) under supervision or lying on the back (pressure on back of head, not side)
• If brachiocephaly, facilitate alternate lying on both sides (with rolled towel or pillow placed behind to support spine) under supervision
• Perform regular stretches to the neck (plagiocephaly: towards non-affected side; brachiocephaly: both sides)
• Encourage and facilitate active head turning to strengthen neck muscles
• Perform regular tummy time to strengthen neck muscles
• Sit up in 'Fraser Chair' or baby seat to reduce prolonged time lying down
 

TIPS for managing torticollis:

• Perform regular stretches to the neck (every care), moving in opposite directions to the tight muscle (tilt head sideways towards non-affected side, rotate towards affected side). Hold stretches for approx 15secs and repeat 2-3x.
• Encourage and facilitate active head turning to strengthen neck muscles
• Perform regular tummy time to strengthen neck muscles
• Sit up in 'Fraser Chair' or baby seat to reduce prolonged time lying down