Developmental Milestones by the End of 12 Months

Social and Emotional

• Shy or anxious with strangers
  
• Cries when mother or father leaves
  
• Enjoys imitating people in his play
  
• Shows specific preferences for certain people and toys
  
• Tests parental responses to his actions during feedings. (What do you do when he refuses a food?)
  
• Tests parental responses to his behavior. (What do you do if he cries after you leave the room?)
  
• May be fearful in some situations
  
• Prefers mother and/or regular caregiver over all others
  
• Repeats sounds or gestures for attention
  
• Finger-feeds himself
  
• Extends arm or leg to help when being dressed
  

Movement

• Reaches sitting position without assistance
  
• Crawls forward on belly
  
• Assumes hands-and-knees position
  
• Creeps on hands and knees
  
• Gets from sitting to crawling or prone (lying on stomach) position
  
• Pulls self up to stand
  
• Walks holding on to furniture
  
• Stands momentarily without support
  
• May walk two or three steps without support
  

Language

• Pays increasing attention to speech
  
• Responds to simple verbal requests
  
• Responds to "no"
  
• Uses simple gestures, such as shaking head for "no"
  
• Babbles with inflection
  
• Says "dada" and "mama"
  
• Uses exclamations, such as "Oh-oh!"
  
• Tries to imitate words
  

Cognitive

• Explores objects in many different ways (shaking, banging, throwing, dropping)
  
• Finds hidden objects easily
  
• Looks at correct picture when the image is named
  
• Imitates gestures
  
• Begins to use objects correctly (drinking from cup, brushing hair, dialing phone, listening to receiver)
  

Developmental Health Watch
Each baby develops in his own manner, so it's impossible to tell exactly when your child will perfect a given skill. Although the developmental milestones will give you a general idea of the changes you can expect as your child gets older, don't be alarmed if his development takes a slightly different course. Alert your pediatrician if your baby displays any of the following signs of possible developmental delay in the 8- to 12-month age range.

• Does not crawl
  
• Drags one side of body while crawling (for over one month)
  
• Cannot stand when supported
  
• Does not search for objects that are hidden while he watches
  
• Says no single words ("mama" or "dada")
  
• Does not learn to use gestures, such as waving or shaking head
  
• Does not point to objects or pictures
  

Excerpted from Caring for Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5, Bantam 1999

(c) Copyright 2000 American Academy of Pediatrics

More Information

TV Show Excerpt - Developmental Milestones