How much should I worry about developmental milestones?
In the age of technology and social media, there is a lot of opportunity for comparison. Almost daily and without even meaning to, we find ourselves comparing parenting styles, feeding decisions, return to work choices, post-partum recovery, and so much more. These comparisons can sometimes be challenging for us, creating unnecessary stress or worry; on the other hand, sometimes they can create opportunities for growth, inspiration, or learning.
There can even be comparisons when it comes to our children. Again, there can be those that don’t serve us and our children, that are superficial or unhealthy in nature. But comparisons also present an excellent opportunity for tracking our babies’ health and growth. We’ve all heard the buzzword “developmental milestones” in discussions with friends, family, and pediatricians, and it brings up the question:
“Is my baby simply progressing at his or her own pace, or is this something that’s cause for worry?”
A quick google search will spit out a jumble of age ranges, skills, and suggestions for tracking your child’s development. Some common gross motor milestones you may have heard include: rolling from belly to back by 5 months, rolling from back to belly by 6 months, sitting without support by 7 months, or standing alone and taking first steps by 12 months. But what happens if my child is late to a milestone? Or hits one super early? Or skips a whole milestone altogether?!
And the truth is, it depends. Some babies are slower to develop, or develop in patterns that are unique to them. Regardless, it is important to consider what goes into these suggested milestones to consider how we use them. Firstly, we need to remember that these milestones are to be used as communication tools intended to encourage ongoing conversation between families and professionals. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the milestones were developed through research and physician discussion so that pediatricians could estimate “what well-child visit age to place the milestones so that about 75% or more of children would be expected to exhibit it.” In other words, not all children are expected to hit all of their milestones by the suggested age range, suggesting that there’s no need to panic if your child isn’t quite following these timelines.
On the other hand, we still want to remember why these milestones exist. Gross motor delays can be indicative of other diagnoses that require further medical evaluation, such as neurologic or genetic diagnoses. The sooner we can identify any of these diagnoses, the sooner we are able to seek medical care and early intervention options to help your child achieve the best care and support for them. Additionally, gross motor milestones like crawling, sitting, and cruising help lay the musculoskeletal foundation for your child’s strength, mobility, and core control that carry us into adulthood. So regardless of the ultimate cause of a gross motor delay, starting a discussion with your physician and seeking treatment to support gross motor development is never a bad idea. After a thorough discussion and evaluation, your physician may recommend seeing a pediatric physical therapist to help guide your child in his or her gross motor development. Pediatric physical therapists use play to help facilitate the development of motor skills; they also help with the development of movement symmetry, coordination, balance, and much more!
In conclusion, the best advice is this:
Remember that at the end of the day, developmental milestones are not the “be all end all” of your child’s growth, and they are not the only way we track your child’s development. Any and all evaluation should look at your child as a whole person, rather than as a set of skills. However, you know your baby best! If your child is not meeting one or more milestones, has lost skills he or she once had, or you have any other concerns, remember:
Act early and take note of the things you’re seeing.
Start a conversation with your child’s pediatrician.
Ask for a referral to see a pediatric physical therapist if you’d like – we are movement experts and have the tools to help!
Warmly,
Dr. Alisa Hohler
