Developmental Milestones: Infant to Toddler
What are developmental milestones?
Developmental milestones are a set of age-specific tasks that most children can do at a certain age range. Your pediatrician uses milestones to help check how your child is developing. Although each milestone has an age level, the actual age when a child reaches that milestone can vary quite a bit because every child is unique!
(www.ndss.org)
The table below is a guideline in reference to typical developmental milestones in children with and without Down Syndrome, keeping in mind that each child is unique and therefore there is a great deal of variation that occurs within each childs individual development.
Gross Motor Skills Children With Other Children
(moving around) Down Syndrome
holds head steady while sitting 3-9m 1-4m
sits alone 6-16m 5-9m
stands alone 12-38m 9-16m
walks alone 13-48m 9-17m
Fine Motor Skills
(hand eye coordination)
follows objects with eyes 1.5-8m 1-3m
reaches and grasps objects 4-11m 2-6m
passes objects from hand to hand 6-12m 4-8m
builds a tower of 2 1"cubes 14-32m 10-19m
copies a circle 30-36m 24-40m
Communication Skills
babbles "DaDa", "MaMa" 7-18m 5-14m
responds to familiar words 10-18m 5-14m
first words spoken with meaning 13-36m 10-23m
shows needs by gesture 14-30m 11-19m
two word phrases 18-60m 15-32m
Personal and Social Skills
smiles when talked to 1.5-4m 1-2m
feeds self with biscuit 6-14m 4-10m
drinks from cup 12-23m 9-17m
dry by day 18-50m 14-36m
bowel control 20-60m 16-48m
(www.down-syndrome.org)
Low tone, also known as flaccid, floppy or hypotonic, is common with a Down Syndrome child. With low tone an infant will have difficulty maintaining postures without some support. The infant will typically lie with the head, trunk, arms and legs in a limp position. Early Intervention (please refer to the "Recommendations" section of this website) will be key to improving the tone of your baby and therefore assisting him/her with gross motor skills such as holding up their head, sitting, standing, climbing stairs and walking. (www.ndss.org)