Growth and Development, Infant

• Growth and Development, Ages 1 to 12 Months

  How do babies grow and develop in the first year? Babies change more in the first year of life than at any other time. From 1 to 12 months of age, most babies grow and develop in these main areas: Physical development. A baby's growth is dramatic during this first year. Babies grow taller, and their...

• Growth and Development, Ages 12 to 24 Months

  What kinds of growth and development occur during ages 12 to 24 months? Your child's rapid brain development between the ages of 12 and 24 months causes amazing changes to happen—such as talking, walking, and remembering—as he or she enters the toddler years. The changes that happen in this period are often...

• Stimulate Your Baby's Learning

  When you cuddle, talk to, and play with your baby, you build an emotional bond. You also help stimulate his or her learning and cognitive development. Show your baby new and interesting things. For instance, carry your baby around the room and show...

• Cognitive Development, Ages 12 to 24 Months

  The brain grows dramatically through the second year of life. Around 12 months, toddlers develop a new ability to remember experiences that occurred a few hours or even a day earlier. Toddlers often demonstrate this new ability by repeating a recalled experience, such as throwing a ball or stacking blocks, at a later...

• Cognitive Development, Ages 1 to 12 Months

  Cognitive development is the process by which the brain develops the abilities to learn and remember. Cognitive development follows a typical pattern in the first 12 months of life. Between 1 and 2 months of age, infants become interested in new...

• Emotional and Social Development, Ages 12 to 24 Months

  Toddlers form strong emotional attachments and often feel uneasy when they are separated from their loved ones. Around the same time, toddlers typically want to do things on their own or according to their own wishes. This sets the stage for conflict, confusion, and occasional breakdowns. Toddlers typically develop...

• Emotional and Social Development, Ages 1 to 12 Months

  Emotional and social growth during the first year of life can be both fascinating and exciting. As babies bond with their parents and caregivers, their interactions become more personal and engaging. Although your baby is unique and will exhibit his...

• Milestones for a 1-Year-Old

  Children usually progress in a natural, predictable sequence from one developmental milestone to the next. But each child grows and gains skills at his or her own pace. Some children may be advanced in one area, such as language, but behind in another, such as sensory and motor development. Milestones usually are...

• Milestones for an 18-Month-Old Child

  Children usually progress in a natural, predictable sequence from one developmental milestone to the next. But each child grows and gains skills at his or her own pace. Some children may be advanced in one area, such as language, but behind in another, such as sensory and motor development. Milestones usually are...

• Physical Development, Ages 12 to 24 Months

  Your child's physical growth during the second year, although considerable, is less rapid than during the first year. In the second year, toddlers gain an average of 3 lb (1.4 kg) to 5 lb (2.3 kg) and grow an average of 3 in. (7.6 cm) to 5 in. (12.7 cm). Normal and expected physical growth requires adequate...

• Physical Development, Ages 1 to 12 Months

  Babies grow rapidly during the first year of life. Weight, length, and head circumference measurements are plotted on growth charts to monitor your baby's growth over time. Most babies: Grow about 3 in. (7.5 cm) to 4.5 in. (11 cm) in length by 4 months of age. Although growth may slow slightly between 4...

• Sensory and Motor Development, Ages 12 to 24 Months

  Learning to walk is the defining athletic accomplishment for children between 12 and 24 months of age. Those first steps are possible because of changes taking place within the brain and the spinal cord. Coordination and muscle control advance as the brain grows and matures. Most children start walking by 13 months of...

• Sensory and Motor Development, Ages 1 to 12 Months

  Sensory and motor development is the gradual process by which a child gains use and coordination of the large muscles of the legs, trunk, and arms, and the smaller muscles of the hands. A baby begins to experience new awareness through sight, touch,...

• Speech and Language Development: Helping Your 1- to 2-Year-Old

  These are some things you can do to help your 1- to 2-year-old learn words and say simple sentences: Tell your child what you are doing. Say, "I am changing your diaper" and "I'm washing your face" when interacting with your child. Always speak...

• Speech and Language Milestones, Birth to 1 Year

  Speech and language development milestones relate to receptive language (the ability to understand words and sounds) and expressive language (the ability to use speech and gestures to communicate meaning). Receptive language skills are the first...

• Speech and Language Milestones, Ages 1 to 3 Years

  Speech and language development milestones relate to receptive language (the ability to understand words and sounds) and expressive language (the ability to use speech and gestures to communicate meaning). Most 1-year-olds begin to understand the meanings of words. Their receptive language grows from understanding...