Rolling over. Grasping a toy. Sitting
up without help. Babies experience amazing developmental milestones in their
first year, each at their own unique pace. Still, some babies need a helping
hand as they grow and develop.
Is your baby meeting the milestones? Here
are some signs to watch for, and what you can do to support your baby’s growth
and development.
Baby Milestones
It’s easy to keep tabs on the big
milestones, like the first time your baby rolls over, crawls or takes her first
steps. But some of the clues that your baby might need extra support can be
more subtle:
Side preference. In newborns, you might notice your
baby looks to one side most of the time. As babies get older, they may always
roll toward the same direction or always reach with the same hand. A preference
for right or left hand won’t emerge until your child is a toddler. In the first
year, she or he should be using both hands equally.
Feeding difficulties. Younger babies might have trouble
breastfeeding or taking formula from a bottle. Older babies might have trouble
swallowing purees or solid foods. These can signal problems with muscle
development or swallowing disorders that can be treated and managed.
Not progressing with milestones. If your baby isn’t reaching his or
her developmental milestones on schedule, it may signal a developmental
delay. By 6 months, for example, most babies will begin to manipulate toys with
both hands, push up on their arms when on their tummies, sit with support, and
roll over from front to back and back to front. Treatment by specialists such
as occupational therapists, physical therapists and speech-language
pathologists can address any delays.
How to Support Baby’s Development
As a parent or caregiver, there is a
lot you can do to help support your baby’s healthy growth and development. Try
these activities with your little one:
Tummy time. Give your infant plenty of
supervised playtime on his or her belly. Tummy time helps babies develop the
strength that will one day help them roll and crawl. And playing with you and
other adults provides important social interaction. (While awake tummy time is
important, medical professionals recommend putting babies to sleep on their
backs.)
Equal sides. Encourage your baby to use both
hands and to turn his or her head in both directions. This can be as simple as
offering toys and food from the right and left. If you notice the baby prefers
the right, for example, make an effort to offer toys from the left side.
Infant massage. Gentle massage is a great way to
connect with your baby. It provides healthy stimulation for the baby’s nervous
system and can also promote calming and sleeping. (Infant massage classes are
available at the Inova Loudoun Hospital Outpatient
Specialty Rehabilitation Center.)
Visual stimulation. Stimulating baby’s sense of sight is
important for development. Very young babies like to look at high-contrast
objects, such as toys and books with black-and-white color schemes. As they get
a bit older, many babies are drawn to mirrors and brightly colored toys.
How Therapists Can Help
If your baby isn’t reaching his or
her developmental milestones on schedule, there are professionals who can help.
The right specialist depends on the situation:
Pediatric occupational therapists work with babies to improve their
physical, cognitive, sensory and motor skills. This includes things like
working to develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. We can also
help when there’s an issue with a baby’s sensory development. This often happens
when a baby is born prematurely, and can result in a baby who has strong
reactions to things like taking a bath or having a diaper changed.
Pediatric physical therapists monitor a baby’s large motor skills
and offer therapy to help develop these abilities. Physical therapists often
address things such as gaining head control, rolling over, tolerating tummy
time, sitting up, crawling, walking and climbing. Physical therapists also
treat conditions such as torticollis, a fairly common condition in which tight
neck muscles cause the baby’s head to be tilted in one direction.
Speech-language pathologists diagnose and treat speech and
communication difficulties in older babies. They are also experts in swallowing
disorders, and can also play an important role in helping to solve infant
feeding problems.
Help for Developmental Delays
Babies born prematurely are
especially likely to need extra developmental support in their first two years.
At Inova Loudoun Hospital Outpatient Specialty Rehabilitation Center’s NICU
Follow-Up Clinic, occupational therapists, physical therapists and
speech-language pathologists work together closely to monitor and support
babies who arrive early. My colleagues and I also provide services to full-term
babies who need extra help as they grow.
If you have concerns or questions about
your baby’s development, talk to your pediatrician. If she diagnoses a
developmental delay, she can refer you to specialists such as the team at the Outpatient
Specialty Rehabilitation Center.