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Patient Health Library > Children's Health > Growing Up > Development – 9 To 12 Months

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GROWING UP
Development – 9 To 12 Months
At 9 Months
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 The baby can sit alone for 10 - 15 minutes on the floor and leans forward to pick up toys without losing balance
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 He progresses on the floor by rolling or squirming and attempts to crawl
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 He is able to pull to stand for a few moments while holding onto support but falls backwards with a bump as he cannot lower himself properly
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 When held standing, he steps purposefully alternating his feet
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 The baby becomes visually very attentive to people and happenings in his environment
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 He is also keenly attentive to sounds and voices, and he vocalises purposefully with friendliness or in annoyance. At this stage, he is beginning to understand simple terms like "no no" and "bye bye".
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 He starts poking at objects with his index finger and picks things up between the fingers and thumb in a pincer grasp. He holds objects, bites a biscuit and tries to help with feeding.
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 The baby now enjoys playing peek-a-boo, imitates hand-clapping and may be able to find toys that are hidden under objects.
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 He walks around furniture by stepping sideways, and walks forward and sideways with one or both hands held. Some babies may stand or even walk alone for a few seconds.
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 The baby can pick up fine objects like sweets, crumbs, or strings using a neat pincer grasp
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 He drops and throws toys deliberately and watches them fall to the ground
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 He can point with his index finger at objects that he wishes to handle or happenings which interest him
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 At this stage, he knows and responds immediately to his own name and understands several words and instructions like "Give to daddy" or "Come to mummy". He imitates adult vocalisations and is sometimes able to form words with gleeful enthusiasm.
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 The baby makes attempts to help with feeding and dressing. He drools and puts things into his mouth less often.
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 He attempts to copy more and more of your gestures and learns how to identify the use of different objects such as stroking his hair with the comb or wiping his face with a towel
  9 Months 12 Months
Girl Boy Girl Boy
Average Height 70 cm 71 cm 73 cm 75cm
Average Weight 9.0 kg 9.5 kg 9.5 kg 10.5 kg
Useful links:
Birth To 6 Months I 2 To 6 Years I General and Ambulatory Paediatrics

Useful phone numbers:
New/Change/Cancel appointments 6294 4050