Is your baby on track?

There is more to tracking your baby's development than logging height and weight. There are a number of other childhood milestones to keep watch for.

Paediatrician Michelle Bailey says you can begin looking for signs of emerging motor and language skills from the very first months of your baby's life.

"Babies begin to vocalise around one month", Bailey says. "At three months, they should push their head up when they're on their stomach. By four months, they chatter in response to you and squeal with laughter.”  Bailey is medical director of Duke Health Center, North Carolina in the US.

She says it is a good idea for parents to watch for these early childhood milestones, along with the more obvious "firsts" such as walking and talking. Just be careful about comparing your child with peers or older siblings. "Remember that each child is an individual", Bailey says. "There's a wide range for when children achieve a particular milestone. For example, I've seen children walk as early as nine months or as late as 14 months."

Spotting developmental delays

So, how can you tell the difference between a child who is just taking his or her time and one who has a true developmental delay? According to Dr Marat Zeltsman of Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital in Florida, a developmental delay is when a child does not reach a milestone by the upper range of normal. Even though babies develop at their own pace, he explains, "every child should do certain tasks by a certain age". 

In the UK, these tasks are grouped into four main categories:

• Gross motor skills, such as crawling and walking.
• Fine motor skills, such as stacking blocks or colouring.
• Language skills, including speech and comprehension.
• Social interaction.

Here's a timeline of UK milestones in the above areas. Remember, a child can stray from this timeline and still be within the range of normal, but it is best to discuss any concerns with your doctor or health visitor.

Timeline of childhood milestones

Six weeks 
Gaze follows moving people.
Starts to smile when spoken to.

Three months 
Raises head and chest when lying on stomach.
Grasps objects.
Smiles at other people.

Six months 
Rolls over from back to stomach and stomach to back (more common).
Moves objects from hand to hand.

Nine months 
Sits without support.
Crawls.

12 months 
May be able to stand alone.
Says at least one word, usually several.
Enjoys imitating people.
May use a pincer grip between thumb and finger.

18 months 
Walks independently.
Drinks from a cup.
Points to named pictures.

Two years 
Can climb on and off furniture.
Speaks in two-word sentences.
Asks for food and drink.

Three years 
Can momentarily stand on one foot.
Speaks in multiword sentences.
Frequently asks questions.

Four years 
Can walk up and down stairs.
Says full name.