Is my baby developing properly? This is a question which many parents probably ask all the time. Also, at any routine checkup with a pediatrician, the doctor always wants to know what new tricks the baby is up to. Every child is different; there is no rule as to how fast the baby develops. But there are standards and statistics. A very commonly used chart is the Denver Developmental Scale:
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As you can see, the development is divided into 4 different categories: gross motor, language, fine motor, and personal-social.
But let us take a closer look at baby development. When a baby is born, it has very few abilities. The most important ability for a newborn to have is the suckling reflex, so that it can eat. In the hospital, the child is given what is called an APGAR score. The APGAR test is a test for the following, each category on a scale of 0-2, for a total of 0-10 points.
In the beginning of a baby’s life, it cannot do much. It eats, sleeps, cries, and goes to the bathroom. After the first couple weeks, the baby may smile. As the months go by, the skills of the baby increase. The baby begins to learn how to move its body around; first head lifting, then rolling over, crawling, and walking. It learns how to use its hands; grabbing things, moving things etc. Eventually the baby begins to say a word or two, and gradually its dictionary increases. But every child is different; and no child should be compared to another. Everyone’s brain and body develop at different paces. The Denver Developmental Scale is used as a basis.
Here are some good toys for your child’s enjoyment, and development.
Everything4Babies 