Infants reach several milestones from the very moment they are born up to the age of one year. During this time, babies change with regard to their reaction to everything around them and each day unique growth and development is noticeable (Martin 2008). It is imperative to not that each individual baby reach their milestones in their own unique way and at their own pace. Many of the milestones that they reach cut across and do not vary greatly (Meggitt 2006). There is a child I have seen grow and develop from one stage to another reaching these milestones just like a normal child, his name is Trevor Judson. He is a bubbly young boy who reached his developmental milestones quite on time. This is with regard to his movement, hand and finger skills, language and cognitive, social and emotional milestones.
At birth, his eyes were always closed and could open them for just a few seconds a few times a day. He could also respond to sounds and only his head, hands and legs could move though not frequently. By the end of the first month of his birth, Trevor could be seen trying to lift his head up to the forty five degree mark. He could also make jerky and quivering arms thrusts. While lying on his back, he used to bring his hands to his eyes and mouth. He used to move his head from one side to the other while lying on his stomach. Trevor could also keep his hands in tight fists. With regard to his visual development, his eyes could normally wander in all directions; his eyes could turn towards a familiar voice or sound. By this time, his response to smell had also developed as he could respond towards the scent of his mother. His sense of touch had also greatly improved because he could respond differently towards soft and course sensations.
At six months baby Trevor had so much to do with his little limbs. He used to roll over, from his tummy to his back and vice versa. He could also sit upright without the support of his hands. He could stand while holding onto something and support all his weight with his legs. While seated, standing or on his tummy, he could try and reach out to things using one hand. Upon picking up what he was reaching out for, he could then transfer the object to the other hand. His visual abilities had also gone a notch higher. He had a taste for color because he could respond to different colors differently. Trevor’s distant vision for objects had greatly matured because he could see objects from a distance. He had taken a leap into his language milestones. Whenever someone called out for his name he could look up with a smiling face. By this time he had also started responding to sounds by reproducing the sounds that he used to hear. He could also bubble a lengthy chain of consonants and while at it, he could use his voice to express himself. His cognitive skills had also developed because he could look for to find partially hidden things. He could struggle to reach out for things out of his reach. At this point in time he enjoyed playing a lot and could respond to expression of emotion from other people.
The one year mark was soon approaching and a lot went on in the life of little Trevor. At the one year mark he could sit on his own without any assistance. He was now crawling and could assume the hands and knees position for some substantial time. Standing up on his own was what he liked doing and he could pull himself up to stand. He could walk around the house while holding onto furniture but could do a few steps while not holding onto anything. His fingers and hands skills were also good as he could clap or bang things together, put objects into and out of a container. He could also poke at things and try to scribble on the floor. His language skills were quite good too because he could respond to simple verbal requests and imitating words spoken to him. He could also use gestures to respond to requests directed to him. With regard to his cognitive skills, Trevor could find hidden things easily and also imitate gestures. He could also use objects correctly for example dialing a phone and drinking from a cup. Not to mention his social and emotional milestones. He started being shy and anxious with strangers and could always cry when his father and mother could leave him behind. The best thing that I remember about his first year growth and development was Trevor finger feeding himself.
At one year, Trevor could move all over the house. When being fed, he would try and feed himself even though he could miss and food could fall. When being dressed, he helps by lifting either his hands or legs. By this time he had become so picky with the people he allowed into his life because many are the times when he could cry when strangers and people he was uncomfortable with could take him. He had become more attentive to note when his parents or caregiver could leave the room and could immediately start crying. He could read the signs of the parents leaving and could start crying the moment he saw his mother carry a bag or put on shoes. A typical day for him was characterized with lots of play, crying when left alone and adventure.
References
Martin, C. L. & Fabes, R. (2008). Discovering Child Development. Belmont: Cengage Learning
Meggitt, C. (2006). Child Development: An Illustrated Guide. Oxford: Heinemann.
