What your baby can do: What are the red flags that should alert parents?

A baby's motor skills are how the little man interacts with the world, his perception of the people around him, how he shows his emotions and perceives the emotions of others, as well as speech and various objects. The stages of a child's development since birth have been studied by scientists for many years.

These data define the parameters which are used in the European and Russian programs of "early intervention" services, they are reflected in the WHO standards and help doctors in practice every day. Yes, every baby develops at its own pace - this is influenced by genes and character - but there are also norms. According to them, pediatricians and specialists assess the child's health and deviations by a certain age.

Below we give the skills that a child usually learns in the first year of life. And they are quite broad.

By the age of 2 months, a baby is usually able to smile and respond to his voice by turning his head. In addition, he can lift his head from lying on his tummy and leaning on his arms.

By 3 months, the baby is able to make loud noises and grasping movements. He lifts his head from the supine position.
By the age of 4 months, he/she can distinguish between family and strangers, negative and positive emotions, and take a toy in his/her hand. Your baby can also roll over from tummy to back.
By the age of 5 months, the baby tries to speak separate syllables, shows interest in toys, and rolls over from tummy to back and back.
At six months, the baby attempts to crawl. Rocks from side to side, being on all fours with support. The toy can already be moved from one hand to another. Another milestone is the appearance of the first tooth.

By the age of 7 months, the baby is able to sit up and say many syllables. He can imitate movements and crawl, pick up small objects with three or even two fingers.
By the age of 8 months, the child tries to stand up by holding on to some support, drinking independently and holding a piece of bread in his/her hand, for example.
By the age of 9 months, the child can stand holding on to some support with one hand and walk holding hands. At the request of the parents, he/she can bring a toy and play a simple game.

By the age of 10 months, the baby can stand independently and walk while holding one hand. The syllables the baby utters already have a certain meaning.
By the age of 11 months, the baby can squat and tries to take its first steps without support, can point to objects, and "speaks" a lot in a language that only he/she understands. He already knows the word "no" and reacts to it, reacts to those around him in different ways. The baby begins to show interest in his peers, and can also play independently.
By a year, the child is walking independently, can name objects, show them in pictures, says 8-10 words. He shows interest in books, tries to draw, open different boxes, and can put one object into another. In addition, he already knows how to use a spoon and a comb.

If your child "does not fit into these norms" you should first accept and let go of panic in advance, advises Irina Ufimtseva, a pediatrician at SM Clinic for Children and Adolescents.

Parents should remember that development is not a linear process, and children may skip some stages or acquire different motor skills at the same time. If a child exceeds the standard period, it may be due to neurological problems, lack of favorable conditions for the acquisition of motor skills (the baby is overprotected by constantly carrying it in their arms, not letting it walk or crawl, etc.). In addition, it can be due to the child's individual development - he or she is sure to learn the skill, only a little later than their peers.

Secondly, find competent specialists who you can trust. Pediatricians, neurologists, physical therapists will help you to understand the causes of delayed motor development. Although growth and development are parallel processes, they are interrelated. Therefore, doctors will measure the child's length, weight, and other physical indicators, and ask parents about their child's movements, ability to grasp objects, make eye contact, the sounds they make, and speech development. If possible, they will test these skills of child themselves. They will then make a diagnosis and a treatment plan.

It is impossible to forcibly accelerate the skills formation in children. The stages of movement development in the first year of life are "programmed" biologically and genetically. That's why pediatricians advise parents not to help every time a child tries to do something new for him or her. Grunts, but does not turn over in any way? Stubbornly reaches for a napkin in a cafe? Already mad because he can not pick up the toy? Yes, you need to be patient and wait until his nervous system matures. This is how the baby trains, and constant help from adults only reduces his motivation and slows down his development