Developmental milestones

Is my child delayed? Developing on curve? Should I be worried? Is this normal? Are they ahead of the game? Should I be teaching them this or that?
These are all questions that most parents pose themselves daily about their children. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, being a parent gives a whole new meaning to the word worry. No longer do you worry about yourself as much, it’s all about them, their development, social life, school life, physical development, happiness, well-being and on and on. It’s quite a thrill, this ride called parenting and I’ve really just started, being seven years in.
Waving, talking, walking, sitting up, rolling over and playing are all developmental milestones. There are age ranges as to when children should develop each of these and many other skills, called developmental milestones.
The term milestones can bring about happy thoughts as well as nervous ones. Sometimes a parent may have the dreaded feeling in the pit of their stomach that nags them, thinking perhaps what their child is doing isn’t quite normal. Others look at these milestones with pride thinking, wow my child’s been doing this for such a long time.

The truth is that developmental milestones are a guideline to parents so that you can have some idea as to what your child is expected to be able to do at each age. Usually a milestone is an age range so that children may develop the skill before, during or at the end of that period of time. It is not meant to scare you into thinking that children who haven’t achieved these milestones will not ever do so or that they won’t develop normally from here on out because of it.
I’ve always taken milestones as something to look ahead to for my children to prepare me for what should be coming next. If I notice that they aren’t approaching a skill they should be nearing, I start to think about how I can promote that skill. For instance, if it’s rolling over I may give them more tummy time, put toys just out of their reach or help them with my hand to complete the roll.
As parents we know our child best, if a developmental milestone is not within reach we should not ever push it. Often these things occur when it’s time and when the child is ready.
If you are ever worried about your child’s development you should seek the advice of your doctor or a health care professional. Trust your instinct.
We have a small chance to talk to a nurse at our child’s vaccination clinics. They ask some developmental questions to see where your child is developmentally and sometimes have handouts explaining what to expect in the coming months. This is another great way to see if your child is developing on track. Keep these handouts to refer to and when you’re not sure what to look for, a search online or speaking with a healthcare professional can help you be prepared for your child’s next steps. Bottom line is when you’re not sure, ask questions. Knowledge is power.