Child Development

• What are the 4 major domains of child development?


  Gross motor

  Fine motor

  Language

  Personal & social
• What is included in the gross motor domain?


  Child's development of large movements (e.g. sitting, standing, walking & posture)
• Gross motor milestones


  4 months -> support head

  6 months -> sit supported

  9 months -> sit unsupported, crawling, able to maintain standing position

  12 months -> stand, cruising (walking while furniture holding)

  15 months -> walk unaided

  18 months -> squat & pick up things from floor

  2 yrs -> run, kick ball

  3 yrs -> climb stairs 1 foot at a time, stand on 1 leg for a few seconds, ride tricycle

  4 yrs -> hop, climb & descend stairs like an adult
• What is included in the fine motor domain?


  Child's development of precise & skilled movement

  Also includes their visual development & hand-eye coordination
• Fine motor milestones


  8 wks - fixes eyes on object 30cm in front, attempts to follow

  6 mths - palmar grasp

  9 mths - scissor grip

  12 mths - pincer grip, hold crayon & scribbles randomly

  14 mths - tower of 2 bricks

  14-18 mths - clumsily uses spoon

  18 mths - tower 4 bricks

  2 yrs - copies vertical line, tower 8 bricks

  2.5 yrs - copies horizontal line, tower 12 bricks

  3 yrs - copies circle, 3 block bridge or train, thread large beads onto string, cut in side of paper with scissors

  4 yrs - copies cross & square, build steps, cut paper in 1/2 using scissors

  5 yrs - copy triangle
• What are the different pencil grip milestones?

  Under 2 yrs -> palmar supinate grasp (fist grip)

  2-3 yrs -> digital pronate grasp

  3-4 yrs -> quadrupod grasp or static tripod grasp

  5 yrs -> mature tripod grasp
• What is included in the language domain?


  Child's development of understanding & using speech and language to communicate

  2 components:

  • Expressive language
  • Receptive language
• Expression language milestones


  3 mths - cooing

  6 mths - noises with consonants (starting with g, b, p)

  9 mths - babbles, sounds more like talking but no recognisable words

  12 mths - says single words in context, "hi"

  18 mths - 5-10 words

  2 yrs - combines 2 words, around 50+ words

  2.5 yrs - combines 3-4 words

  3 yrs - using basic sentences

  4 yrs - tells stories
• Receptive language milestones


  3 mths - recognises parents & familiar voices

  6 mths - responds to tone of voice

  9 mths - listens to speech

  12 mths - follows very simple instructions

  18 mths - understands nouns ("show me the spoon")

  2 yrs - understands verbs ("show me what you eat with")

  2.5 yrs - understands propositions ("put the spoon on/under the step")

  3 yrs - understands adjectives ("show me the red brick")

  4 yrs - follows complex instructions ("pick the spoon up, put it under the carpet & go to mummy")
• Personal & social milestones


  6 wks - smiles

  3 mths - communicates pleasure

  6 mths - curious & engaged with people

  9 mths - become cautious & apprehensive with strangers

  12 mths - engages with others by pointing & handing objects, waves bye, claps hands

  18 mths - imitates activities (e.g. using phone)

  2 yrs - extends interest to others beyond parents (e.g. waving to strangers), plays next to but not with other children

  3 yrs - seek out other children to play, bowel control

  4 yrs - has best friend, dry by night, dresses self, imaginative play
• What are some red flags in developmental milestones?


  • Lost developmental milestones
  • Not able to hold an object at 5 months
  • Not sitting unsupported at 12 months
  • Not standing independently at 18 months
  • Not walking independently at 2 years
  • Not running at 2.5 years
  • No words at 18 months
  • No interest in others at 18 months
• When does hand dominance normally develop? What may dominance before this indicate?

  2 years

  May indicate spastic hemiplegia or cerebral palsy