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| The First 6 Months Of Your Child's Development |
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Witnessing your child's development is a marvellous and unique experience. Watching him progress from the helplessness of babyhood to maturing independence will flood you with elation and relief. His first step, the first uttering of "mama" and "dada", every new skill he acquires will fill you with immense pride and joy.
However, stress, anxiety and even fear inevitably creep in every now and then in the course of his development. The question "Is my child developing normally"? stems from love and a deep sense of responsibility towards your child. Equipping yourself with knowledge about developmental phases will alleviate some of that stress.
However, it is important to keep in mind that no two children develop the same way. Every child is an individual, hence do not worry if he does not follow the benchmarks exactly. However, consult your doctor if you observe that your child does not develop according to the general pattern. | |
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| Newborns |
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Newborn babies are usually sleepy in the first few days after birth, gradually giving way to longer periods of alert wakefulness and physical activity |
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He may shift his eyes towards nearby sources of continued sound like cooing. It is common for babies to display startled reaction to sudden loud noises | | |
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| At 1 Month |
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The baby still sleeps most of the time when not being fed or handled. His head still tends to fall to one side when he is in a lying position. |
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He moves his arms and legs in a jerky manner and the arms are usually more active |
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His head still falls loosely when lifted but he makes attempts to hold it erect |
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He is able to follow the slow movement of an object (held 6 -- 10 inches from his face) with his eyes and will make slight movements of the head. He will also move his eyes and head towards the source of sound or voice. |
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At this stage, the baby watches nearby faces with an increasingly alert expression during feeding and play, progressing to social smiles and responsive vocalisations at about 5 - 6 weeks | | |
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| At 3 Months |
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The baby is able to hold his head in midline and the movements of his arms and legs are smoother and more continuous |
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He can bring his hands from his side to midline and kick his legs alternatively, or sometimes, together |
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He is able to hold his head up when he is pulled to sit. However, when held sitting, he can only hold his head up for several seconds before bobbing forward and his lower back is still very curved. |
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When placed on the tummy, he lifts his head and upper chest up, and uses his lower arms for support |
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At this stage, the baby's visual alertness increases, especially to nearby human faces. He attentively follows movements around him as well as movement of his own hands at play. |
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The baby now enjoys bathing and other caring routines and begins to react to pleasurable and familiar situation with smiles, increased vocalising of "coos" and "gaas" and excited movements. | |
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3 Months |
6 Months |
| Girl |
Boy |
Girl |
Boy |
| Average Height |
57 cm |
60 cm |
64 cm |
67cm |
| Average Weight |
5.5 kg |
5.5 kg |
7.5 kg |
7.5 kg | | |
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| At 6 Months |
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The baby is able to raise his head to look at his feet and lift the legs up to grasp his foot |
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When his hands are held, he pulls to sit himself with the head erect. He may be able to sit alone momentarily. When held in a sitting position, his head is erect, his back straight and he turns his head from side to side to look around. |
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When placed on the tummy, he supports himself on his straightened arms and palms. |
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When held standing, he no longer sags at the knee and will bounce up and down actively. |
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The baby's eyes follow the movements and activities around him attentively. He can focus on small objects held within 6 -- 12 inches of him and stretches out to grasp them with both hands. |
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He takes everything to his mouth at his stage. |
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He can grasp a rattle and shake it deliberately to make a sound. He can also pass objects from hand to hand during play. |
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At this stage, the baby vocalises with a wider vocabulary (or) more syllables, laughs, chuckles, squeals aloud at play, and screams with annoyance. He can recognise familiar voices immediately. |
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The baby commonly starts developing reservation towards strangers at this stage, so do not worry that he is suddenly getting unfriendly! | | |
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Reference: Nelson Publishing Company, Australia. From Birth to Five Years, Children's Developmental Progress (1973), Sheridan M.D. |
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