play and they often like to play the same thing over and over again. Parents are their babies first playmates and through play children learn new skills and how to connect socially.
When a child is under 12 months of age, it is often easy to forget how much they are capable of doing. How much does a 6-month-old do anyway? The truth is that babies under 12 months of age are capable of quit a bit. It is important for parents to be familiar with what a baby should be doing so that they will have an idea if their child is on track.
An 8-month-old baby is not going to be diagnosed with autism, Asperger’s, or Sensory Processing Disorder. But often at this age for a child that later will be diagnosed with one of these special needs, development is already delayed. It is common though not to notice the subtle things a child isn’t doing. A parent might realize that his child is doing less than others, but it is still such a fine line that it is hard to detect that something is amiss. Not until someone points it out, does a parent realize how much her child isn’t doing.
As a child ages though, many parents look back and say that there were early signs. Waiting in line at the grocery store behind a baby in a cart, still surprises me. I am amazed at how young they are and yet these tiny babies smile at me, try to engage me, and laugh at my attempts at peek-a-boo. Their eyes usually dart back and forth from me to mom. They need mom’s reassurance that everything is OK, but they desire to continue to play with this stranger who has introduced a fun game.
In this post I want to look at play skills in children less than a year old. This list is certainly not comprehensive and many skills will vary from child to child. But the list may help you decide if your child is on track. If she isn’t doing many of these things, talk with your pediatrician.
Birth to 3 months of age
- Smiles in response to a familiar voice
- Looks directly at the speaker’s face and will prefer a human face over an object
- Maintains brief eye contact during feeding
- Begins to play with her hands and put them in her mouth
3 to 6 months of age
- Responds to her name
- Laughs during play
- Puts toys in her mouth
- Smiles in response to her mirror image
- Smiles and waves arms to continue a social exchange
6 to 9 months of age
- Looks for family members when asked, “Where’s Mommy? Daddy?”
- Responds to her name more consistently by stopping activity
- Responds with gestures to such words as “up”
- Imitates familiar gestures, such as shaking a toy
9 to 12 months of age
- Understands simple requests such as “give me”
- Plays exchange games with adults, such as handing an object back and forth
- Use some objects correctly, such as putting a toy phone to her ear
- Initiates games of pat-a-cake and peek-a-boo
Remember, when you bring your child in for her pediatrician appointment, the doctor sees only a glimpse of your child. It is your responsibility to accurately report your observations and concerns. You may want to take notes, write down your observations, and list your questions. This will help you to cover everything as thoroughly as possible at your child’s next doctor visit.
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Well said, Danette. So many parents are not listened-to when they bring concerns to pediatricians. If I had a nickel for every parent I’ve met who was told “he’ll outgrow it” I’d have a nice savings.
On the other hand, I’ve met and read many parents who deride the physician who gives the dire news that delayed development in the first year predicts delayed development for the long term. Killing the messenger is little more than cathartic – sometimes unhelpful to the child.
The earlier a parent realizes differences in their child and acts on that with professionals that can help, the less dire the predictions.
Keep beating the education drum, Danette!
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Thanks, Barbara. I always appreciate your thoughtful and insightful comments!
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[...] in the week I looked at play skills in children less than a year old. Play is critical for a child as it helps the development of many skills, such [...]
For a child, however, there is no more constructive activity than play. Play allows a young child to be in charge. Think about this — in their everyday lives, they are small and powerless, always being told what to do, and how to do it. Without an adult around, they are running the show! I also propose that Play with parents shouldn’t be underestimated either, as research shows that children whose parents play with them ultimately develop superior social skills.
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