Children Develop in Similar but Different Ways
Development in humans happens slowly and progressively over different age groups. Development is a journey. It is not a competition. Development occurs in different areas – physical, motor, cognitive, emotional and social. As we develop most of these areas during our early years, it is far more important than adolescent or later development.
Development in Children
While there are developmental milestones, children may develop differently and may not truly follow the same recommended stages. However, this is not to say that a child must be left to their own device. As a parent, it is important to look for any delays that you may feel warrant a closer look. There is never any harm in getting advice for your child’s physical and mental health.

Developmental Tasks
Now, let’s take a look at the overall developmental tasks and the specific speech and language milestones that infants are expected to perform. The below tasks are some of the expected behaviours that infants should be able to perform. However, it is always advisable to consult your pediatrician about any concerns you may have.
You can use the below table to identify if you child has completed these developmental tasks. But, do not worry if they haven’t. Some children can develop slower than others. However, it is important to keep observing their developmental behaviours.
Developmental tasks | Expected age | Completed |
Rolls from stomach to back | 0-6 months | |
Reaches for a toy | 0-6 months | |
Transfers toy from one hand to another | 0-6 months | |
Looks for noises made near him/her | 0-6 months | |
Makes sounds for specific reasons like hunger or toilet | 0-6 months | |
Helps hold bottle after drinking | 0-6 months | |
Plays with toes | 0-6 months | |
Pats mirror image | 0-6 months | |
Puts everything into his/her mouth | 0-6 months | |
Follows toys when held in front of eyes and moved | 0-6 months | |
Sits without support | 6-12 months | |
Pulls to standing position | 6-12 months | |
Crawls on fours | 6-12 months | |
Feeds self a biscuit | 6-12 months | |
Turns pages off a book | 6-12 months | |
*Taken from Academic problems in primary school children enrolled under SSA-Karnataka (All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysore)
Speech and Language Milestones
Expected Age | Receptive language | Expressive language | Completed |
0-3 months | Alerts to voice | Cries; social smile; coos | |
4-6 months | Responds to voice; name | Laughs out loud; Clicks tongue; Begins babbling | |
7-9 months | Turns head toward sound | Says names for mother and father indiscriminately | |
10-12 months | Enjoys “peek a boo”; Understand no; Follows 1 step command with gesture | Says ‘ma’ and ‘dada’ appropriately; Waves bye-bye; Begins to gesture; Shakes head no; 1st word other than ‘mama/dada’ |
The opinions expressed here are that of the Author
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