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📈 Developmental Milestones

Track your child's growth and development from birth to 5 years with expert guidance from Dr. Priyanka Kawali, MD

Understanding Your Child's Development

Every child develops at their own pace, but developmental milestones provide important guidelines for tracking your child's progress. These milestones help identify when children typically reach certain developmental achievements in areas like movement, communication, thinking, and social skills. Remember, these are general guidelines - if you have concerns about your child's development, please contact Dr. Priyanka Kawali, MD at Koala Pediatrics.

👶 Newborn Development (0-2 months)

Your baby's first weeks are filled with rapid changes and new discoveries

🏃Physical Development

  • Lifts head briefly when on tummy
  • Moves arms and legs actively
  • Opens and closes hands
  • Brings hands near face
  • Follows objects with eyes

🧠Cognitive Development

  • Focuses on faces
  • Begins to follow things with eyes
  • Recognizes familiar people at a distance
  • Starts to act bored if activity doesn't change

💬Communication

  • Makes gurgling sounds
  • Turns head toward sounds
  • Begins to smile at people
  • Can briefly calm themselves

👥Social & Emotional

  • Begins to smile at people
  • Can briefly calm themselves
  • Tries to look at parent
  • Shows preference for familiar people

🍼 Infant Development (2-12 months)

A period of incredible growth and discovery as your baby becomes more interactive

🏃Physical Development

  • Rolls over (4-6 months)
  • Sits without support (6-8 months)
  • Crawls or scoots (7-10 months)
  • Pulls to standing (8-12 months)
  • Takes first steps (9-15 months)
  • Picks up small objects with thumb and finger

🧠Cognitive Development

  • Recognizes familiar people and objects
  • Responds to their name (6-9 months)
  • Plays peek-a-boo
  • Understands "no" (8-12 months)
  • Looks for hidden objects (8-12 months)
  • Copies gestures

💬Communication

  • Babbles with different sounds (4-6 months)
  • Responds to sounds by making sounds
  • Says "mama" or "dada" (8-12 months)
  • Responds to simple requests
  • Uses simple gestures like waving

👥Social & Emotional

  • Shows fear of strangers
  • Shows affection for familiar people
  • Plays simple games like peek-a-boo
  • May be clingy with familiar adults
  • Shows preferences for certain people and toys

🚶 Toddler Development (1-3 years)

Your child becomes more independent and begins to explore the world around them

🏃Physical Development

  • Walks independently (12-18 months)
  • Runs and climbs (18-24 months)
  • Walks up and down stairs
  • Kicks and throws balls
  • Jumps in place (2 years)
  • Pedals a tricycle (3 years)

🧠Cognitive Development

  • Finds hidden objects easily
  • Sorts shapes and colors
  • Completes sentences in familiar books
  • Plays make-believe
  • Follows two-step instructions
  • Names body parts

💬Communication

  • Says several single words (12-18 months)
  • Points to things when named
  • Uses 2-word phrases (18-24 months)
  • Follows simple instructions
  • Uses 3-4 word sentences (2-3 years)
  • Strangers can understand most speech (3 years)

👥Social & Emotional

  • Shows independence
  • Shows defiant behavior
  • Copies others, especially adults
  • Shows affection for friends
  • Takes turns in games
  • Shows concern for crying friend

🎒 Preschool Development (3-5 years)

Your child develops more complex skills and prepares for school

🏃Physical Development

  • Hops and stands on one foot
  • Climbs and swings
  • Uses scissors
  • Draws circles and squares
  • Begins to copy letters
  • Dresses and undresses

🧠Cognitive Development

  • Counts 10 or more objects
  • Draws a person with 2-4 body parts
  • Uses the future tense
  • Says name and address
  • Distinguishes fantasy from reality
  • Understands time concepts

💬Communication

  • Speaks in complete sentences
  • Tells stories
  • Sings songs or says poems
  • States first and last name
  • Uses grammar correctly most of the time
  • Asks many questions

👥Social & Emotional

  • Wants to please friends
  • Wants to be like friends
  • More likely to agree with rules
  • Likes to sing, dance, and act
  • Shows independence
  • Can distinguish right from wrong

⚠️ When to Contact Dr. Priyanka Kawali, MD

While every child develops at their own pace, contact us if you notice any of these concerns:

Communication Delays

  • • No babbling by 12 months
  • • No words by 16 months
  • • No two-word phrases by 2 years

Motor Skill Delays

  • • Not sitting by 9 months
  • • Not walking by 18 months
  • • Loss of previously acquired skills
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