HEALTH TIME
DEVELOPMENT IN CHILDREN THE FIRST YEARS OF LIVING
A milestone in a child’s development is typically being able to sit, walk,
talk and so forth. During the first years of living there are several skills
a child is supposed to achieve by a certain age in order to follow a normal development.
These various milestones are something health care workers look for and use as
an instrument to evaluate a child’s neurologic, intellectual and physical
development.
A newborn have all senses intact. Sensation, taste and smell are, however, the
most developed ones initially. The smell of the mother’s breast releases
the child’s suckling reflex. The mouth is the most important sensation
organ. From 4 months when a child learns to coordinate eye, mouth and hand movements,
it is normal that a child puts everything it grasps towards the mouth. At 10
months of age the sensation in hands and fingers get better, and the tendency
to put things in the mouth drops. Hearing is intact by birth. A newborn typically
closes it’s eyes as a response to sound. At 4 months of age a child turns
to the source of the sound. Children are born near sighted. After about 4 weeks
the eyes follow objects moved in front of them. At age 6 months colors can be
differentiated.
The memory of a child is short. At 6 months it forgets its mother after a few
days away from her. At age 1 year the recollection lasts for about two weeks
and at age 2 years a couple of months. By the age of 4 years it lasts for one
year. After 4 years of age long term memory starts.
The development in a child is strongly connected to the environment that the
child grows up in. With close and stimulative care from the parents a child has
better chances compared to growing up left to itself.
The table underneath from Blueprints Pediatrics 3rd edition shows different skills/milestones
expected in normal
children
at different ages.
In evaluating the development of a child it is important to look at all skills.
Some children might be late in some skills, and earlier in others. A child with
severe mental retardation will be late at all skills. However if a child doesn’t
not give visual contact at age 2 months, at 6 months is not babbling, or at age
12 months is not able to sit without support or is not responding when it’s
name is called, further testing and evaluation is needed.
If you have questions about your child's development get in touch with your local
MUTTERBERATUNG - they offer free counseling on childcare for all parents.
mamizeits Dr. Marianne
Do you have a question about health?
Take this oportunity to send us your question and Dr. Marianne
will answer.
drmarianne@mamizeit.com
Previous questions from readers:
Dear Marianne,
My husband and I are thinking about getting a dog. We have two children, one
five- and one three year old. They are both used to animals since our family
on both sides have cats and dogs. However a friend of mine bought a cat last
year but after a while their son started to get allergic symptoms, and now they
either have to give the cat away or go to the vet. Since I don't want to end
up making that decision, my question is: should I put my kids through an allergy
test? There are no known allergies in our family, as we know of, and our kids
seem to be doing fine around cats and dogs.
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Dear Dr. Marianne,
I heard on the radio the other day that Switzerland has the highest
rate of measles (masern) outbreaks in Europe.
My son is soon scheduled to have the vaccine against measles, but some
of my friends recommend that I don't let him have this because of possible
side effects. I don't know what to do. What would you recommend?"
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Dear Dr. Marianne,
My 6-year old son has started to go on weekend visits to visit his grandparents’ by
himself. These weekend visits are his first experiences away from home
overnight. Before going he gets excited about the visit, but as it draws
close he starts to worry about missing his toys and little sister and
not having me to read him a bed-time story. Last weekend we had to go
and pick him up early because he was so homesick.
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