Milestones at 1 Year

Every child is different, and so is every parent's experience; but experts have a clear idea about the range of normal development from birth to age 5 — and signs that a child might have a developmental delay. Below you'll find milestones organized by period of development, and tips on when to contact a health professional about your concerns.

Movement Milestones

• Gets to sitting position without assistance

• Crawls forward on belly by pulling with arms and pushing with legs

• Assumes hands-and-knees position

• Creeps on hands and knees supporting trunk 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

Milestones In Hand and Finger Skills

• Uses pincer grasp

• Bangs two cubes together

• Puts objects into container

• Takes objects out of container

• Lets objects go voluntarily

• Pokes with index finger

• Tries to imitate scribbling

Language Milestones

• 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 Milestones

• 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)

Social and Emotional Milestones

• Shy or anxious with strangers

• Cries when mother or father leaves

• Enjoys imitating people in 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

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 listed in this book 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 eight-to twelve-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