Newborn to 18 months. A Child’s Developmental Milestones to Watch
Our nervous system develops in phases, much like building a house. Kids develop in stages identified by developmental milestones. When children experience issues with speech, social challenges, or sensory problems, we can help identify what is happening and work to correct it.
All kids develop at different rates, but there are standard signs and expectations that can help us identify problems. Sometimes a simple misalignment in the body can start a chain reaction that can cause developmental delays. That’s why we like to start with the pregnant mother and newborn, to get ahead of these possible issues. So much happens between delivery and 18 months that get them ready to eat, sleep properly, talk, see, hear, etc. It’s important to get their bodies in an ideal situation before they get to school age to prevent problems that can affect their ability to focus on learning.
In school, kids are expected to have their basic motor functions in line and be able to socialize, reason, speak, understand, and function “normally.” Of course, educators make exceptions and help kids who are falling behind in these areas, but sometimes the delays are preventable and can be treated. Once again, the human body is meant to heal itself. As natural doctors, chiropractors, and naturopathic physicians, we are here to help the body do what it does best. Heal and function optimally.
As parents, we know how hard it is for kids to transition from home to kindergarten and beyond. We can see them struggle in some areas, and typically we think they need more time or tutoring. Perhaps that’s true. But what if their physical bodies are just not functioning properly, like providing the optimal flow of oxygen and nutrients throughout their bodies? Drugs won’t help that. Specialized pediatric chiropractors can and do help kids with development every day. And it’s a tremendously rewarding experience.
Here are some of the phases to watch out for and to use as guidelines when you interact with kids:
0 to 4 Months – Easy Automatic Phase
The first phase is zero to four months, which is when kids aren’t doing much motorized. However, with head control, infants begin to develop gross motor skills in the first three months of their life. They should be able to turn their heads from side to side, exhibit head control while being held at about 8+ weeks, and hold their head up during tummy time. This is important because it allows the child access to more things to interact with and prepares for the next stage when motor skills kick into high gear. Also, during breastfeeding, if a child does not latch on both sides, it could be due to a neck issue. Many kids develop torticollis at this stage from not being encouraged to turn their heads both ways during play or tummy time. During this first phase, they’re eating, sleeping, cooing, expelling from everywhere, and just being adorable. That’s what we want them to do, be comfortable using their automatic functions and processing system, with their brains working hard to process information and learn how to do new things. At this point, they’re doing that on autopilot. If your child struggles in this phase, we’d like to get involved quickly to prevent sensory developmental delays. Some warning signs are trouble going to the bathroom, trouble eating, reflux, head control, and problems nursing or latching. These can indicate a subluxation in their cervical spine or other developmental struggles and can affect the sensory system in the future with things like hearing, taste, and touch.
4 to 10 Months – Building Motor Skills
Sometime after the fourth month, children start building motor skills. This is when you will want to see them hold their heads up, sit, and crawl. These are precursors to walking, and they are important milestones. Now is when their brains should be less overwhelmed. They should be getting comfortable with their senses and the precursors to social interactions, speech, and language development. If these preliminary stages are delayed, chances are walking will also be delayed in the 10 to 18-month phase.
10 to 18 Months – Integrating Motor Skills
This stage is very exciting for parents. During 10 to 18 months, children get more comfortable moving around, learning their environment, and discovering things. They should be crawling and navigating things like stairs, chairs, sofas, etc. When they learn to get their feet under them, it’s off to the races, and you will see the excitement on their faces when they do. Their brains will be working overtime learning and discovering. Your pediatrician may say they’ll walk before they talk. That’s because the complexities of walking prepare their brains for the complexities of language and speech. Movement helps the brain activate synapses that form higher thought levels, including talking.
You may see a pattern here, where each phase prepares them for the next. That’s why we are so focused on helping children remove physical obstacles to achieving these developmental milestones. Physical affects mental, and vice versa. These first three phases are important to get kids comfortable with the tools they need in preschool and kindergarten.
We realize that every child is different. However, if your child is behind during these first three phases, we would like to intervene and help. A specialized pediatric chiropractor is educated on developmental milestones and ways to help alleviate hurdles they may be experiencing. Our Insight Scanning system is non-invasive and painless. It will show stressors in the body that may be affecting certain areas of development. Plus, it’s a great way to show you visually what’s happening with your child’s body in the autonomic, motor, social, speech, and sensory functions.
We will stop at 18 months because this is the ideal time to catch and correct issues. Your child is a complex biological machine, learning and growing at an incredible rate. We would love to discuss natural health and how Dr. Bronson can get your child into a care plan to give them every chance to grow and thrive.
Call us today to discuss a screening and care plan. (888) 333-0491
Check out our other post about children and chiropractic