STEM Milestones
Babies at this age are eager to explore with their eyes, hands, mouth and ears!
Key Indicators:
- Enjoys feeling toys with different textures
- Enjoys visually stimulating toys
- Engages in playful interactions with others
- Moves around to explore environment when placed on the floor
- Turns head to visually track objects and people while sitting
- Picks up small objects with thumb and fingers to inspect more closely
- Depth perception and color recognition become more acute
Social/Emotional/Play Milestones
At this age, babies are recognizing their name, participating in back-and-forth conversations, showing recognition of some commonly-used words, imitating sounds and are generally happy.
Key indicators:
- Distinguishes emotions by tone of voice
- Is comforted by cuddling, rocking and soothing sounds
- Follows commands when paired with gestures
- Enjoys a variety of movement
- Shows connection to care-giver by smiling and using good eye contact
- Enjoys interactions with others- plays peek-a-boo
- Raises hands to be picked up
- May start to imitate others in simple play
- Enjoys large movements, such as being lifted and swung around
Language/Communication Milestones
Babies at this are are using their voice to express joy and displeasure, babbling chains of consonants, listening and responding when spoken to and babbling to get attention.
Key indicators:
- Begins to use increased variety of sounds and syllable combinations in babbling
- Looks at familiar people and objects when they are named
- Makes different sounds to express different feelings
- Pays increasing attention to speech
- Responds to “no”
- Uses simple gestures such as shaking head for “no”
Coordination/Movement Milestones
At 7-9 months, babies typically get into the sitting position without assistance, sits without support, and reaches for toys in sitting position without falling over.
Key indicators:
- Crawls forward on belly by pulling with arms and pushing with legs
- Assumes hands-and-knees position sometimes
- Creeps on hands and knees supporting trunk on hands and knees
- Gets from sitting to crawling or lying on stomach position
- Pulls self up to stand
Sensory Milestones Milestones
Babies at this age use both hands to explore, enjoy music and being read to and enjoy a variety of movement.
Key indicators:
- Calms with rocking, touching and soothing sounds
- Hearing is very acute, processes words and voices well
- Enjoys touching different textures
- Recognizes specific sounds and voices
- Is interested in trying different tastes
- Uses both hands equally when playing with toys
Cognitive Milestones
Babies at this age are interested in their reflection in a mirror and enjoy more social play.
Key indicators:
- Struggles to get objects that are out of reach
- Responds to other people’s expressions of emotion and appears joyful often
- Explores objects in many different ways (shaking, banging, throwing, dropping)
- Finds hidden objects easily
- Looks at correct picture when the image is named
- Imitates gestures
What Would a Pediatric Occupational Therapist Look For?
Pediatric occupational therapists look for certain benchmarks when reviewing children’s development and behavior.
- Protection reflexes emerge (putting hands out to break a fall while walking)
- Imitates gestures with good eye contact and interactions with care-givers
- Begins to show interest in other children
- Ability to finger-feed
- Is self-regulating by calming with rocking and soothing sounds
- Making eye contact, smiling at care-givers and babbling back and forth
- Attends to books when read to
- Searches for items that are hidden while he watches
Time to Check with Baby’s Healthcare Provider
Mommy and daddy, be vigilant! You are your child’s advocate. If you see any of the following in your baby’s second or third month, it is time to notify your baby’s healthcare provider so your baby gets the proper attention.
- Does not actively reach for objects by six to seven months
- Doesn’t follow objects with both eyes at near (1 foot) [30 cm] and far (6 feet) [180 cm] ranges by seven months
- Does not bear some weight on legs by seven months
- Does not try to attract attention through actions by seven months
- Does not babble by seven months
- Shows no interest in games of peekaboo by eight months
- Arches back or stiffens legs when pulled to sitting
- Does not attempt to crawl or creep
- Drags one side of the body while crawling
- Cannot stand when supported
- Says no single words (“mama” or “dada”)
- Does not learn to use gestures, such as waving or shaking head
- Does not point to objects or pictures
Self-care Milestones for Mommy and Daddy
Just as babies have milestones, new parents need to reach important milestones to stay healthy and happy and have the ability to care for your baby!
- Use proper positioning for breast-feeding (remember, bring baby to you)
- Use proper lifting technique to protect your back
- If you are returning to work, plan ahead, ask your partner for help, try to get sleep on weekends
- Drink plenty of water
- Eat a balanced diet
- Practice mindfulness-be in the moment
- When help is offered, take it!
- Get some fresh air (take a walk with your baby when possible)
- Take time to connect with your partner
- Make time to connect with friends. Adult conversation is important!
References:
The American Academy of Pediatrics, Pathways, The American Occupational Therapy Association
