Baby development and developmental milestones

For the parents, it is really amazing feeling to see their baby grow and achieve all the developmental milestones, specified by its age. Developmental milestones refer to the skills, behaviors, tasks, and body movements that a baby can perform by a certain age. These are used to keep track of a baby’s proper development for its age. 

Sometimes there can be slight variations in age groups by which the babies reach to a certain developmental milestone, which can be different from a specified age group. So, a certain developmental delay in a baby is usually nothing to worry about because the babies sometimes learn and develop at their own pace too.  

Achieving a developmental milestone actually depends upon certain factors such as 

1. How the parents interact and respond to their baby’s needs or how they provide the baby, the needed sense of security, attention, and comfort, which is significant in their social and cognitive or intellectual development.
2. The physical and social environment around the baby. There are many aspects involved in it like the proper access to clean air, water, and food, health care facilities, stress, and toxic-free surroundings which will allow them to explore and play without any fear and healthy interactions and relationships with other people. 
3. Genetics can also influence a baby’s developmental pace to an extent as genetic disorders, (health problems or diseases caused by changes in the structure of a gene) can cause slow mental and physical development.

Developmental Milestones: Know the various aspects

Developmental milestones can be grouped into the following

1. Gross motor skills: which involves the large body movements or control of large muscle groups to perform the tasks like running, walking siting etc.
2. Fine motor skills: which involve the small body movements or small muscle groups to perform holding and picking an object.
3. Language skills: which involves the ability to use and understand certain sounds and words for communication.
4. Social skills: This refers to the ability of a baby to learn, understand and interact with the other people.
5. Vision and hearing: which involves the ability to see and hear and to understand it. 

Developmental delay: when to see medical and professional help

Not all babies achieve the specified developmental milestone at a given age group and it's completely alright as these can be for a short period of time, but if it prevails over several months, the parents should consider seeing a doctor or pediatrician. There are some physical and social signs such as vision and hearing problems, body movements and coordination problems, constant crying, and if the baby is not responding to the people around it.