Child Development and Early Learning

Supporting Information

Key Message 5:

All parents and caregivers should know the warning signs that show the child's growth and development are faltering.

Parents and caregivers need to know the major milestones that show the child is developing normally. They also need to know when to seek help and how to provide a caring and loving environment for a child with a physical or mental disability.

All children grow and develop in similar patterns, but each child develops at his or her own rate.

By observing young children to see how they respond to touch, sound and sight, parents can identify signs of possible developmental problems or disabilities. If a child is developing slowly, parents and caregivers can help by spending extra time with the child, playing and talking with the child, and massaging the child's body.

If the child does not respond to stimulation and attention, parents and caregivers need to seek help. Taking early action is very important in helping children with disabilities reach their full potential. Parents and caregivers need to encourage the greatest possible development of the child's abilities.

A girl or boy with a disability needs extra love and protection. Like all children, such a child needs to be registered at birth or soon afterwards, breastfed, immunized, given nutritious food and protected from abuse and violence. Children with disabilities should be encouraged to play and interact with other children.

A child who is unhappy or experiencing emotional difficulties may behave abnormally. Examples include suddenly becoming unfriendly, sad, lazy, unhelpful or naughty; crying often; becoming violent with other children; sitting alone instead of playing with friends; or suddenly having no interest in usual activities or school work and losing appetite and sleep.

Parents should be encouraged to talk with and listen to the child and, if the problem persists, to seek help from a teacher or health worker.
If a child has mental or emotional difficulties or has been abused, he or she should be given counselling to prevent further complications.

The following guide gives parents an idea of how children develop. There are differences in the growth and development of all children. Slow progress may be normal or may be due to inadequate nutrition, poor health, a lack of stimulation or a more serious problem. Parents may wish to discuss the child's progress with a trained health worker or a teacher.

How Children Develop
	By the age of ONE MONTH
A baby should be able to:	turn her or his head towards a hand that is stroking the child's cheek or mouth bring both hands towards her or his mouth turn towards familiar voices and sounds suckle the breast and touch it with her or his hands.
Advice for parents and caregivers:	make skin-to-skin contact and breastfeed within one hour of birth support the baby's head when you hold the baby upright massage and cuddle the baby often always handle the baby gently, even when you are tired or upset breastfeed frequently, at least every four hours talk, read and sing to the child as often as possible visit the health worker with the infant six weeks after birth.
Warning signs to watch for:	poor suckling at the breast or refusing to suckle little movement of arms and legs little or no reaction to loud sounds or bright lights crying for long periods for no apparent reason vomiting and diarrhoea, which can lead to dehydration.
	By the age of SIX MONTHS
A baby should be able to:	raise the head and chest when lying on her or his stomach reach for dangling objects grasp and shake objects roll both ways sit with support explore objects with hands and mouth begin to imitate sounds and facial expressions respond to her or his own name and to familiar faces.
Advice for parents and caregivers:	lay the baby on a clean, flat, safe surface so she or he can move freely and reach for objects prop or hold the baby in a position so she or he can see what is happening nearby continue to breastfeed on demand day and night, and start adding other foods (two meals a day at 6-8 months, 3-4 meals a day at 8-12 months) talk, read or sing to the child as often as possible.
Warning signs to watch for:	stiffness or difficulty moving limbs constant moving of the head (this might indicate an ear infection, which could lead to deafness if not treated) little or no response to sounds, familiar faces or the breast refusing the breast or other foods.
	By the age of 12 MONTHS
A baby should be able to:	sit without support crawl on hands and knees and pull up to stand take steps holding onto support try to imitate words and sounds and respond to simple requests enjoy playing and clapping repeat sounds and gestures for attention pick things up with thumb and one finger start holding objects such as a spoon and cup and attempt self-feeding.
Advice for parents and caregivers:	point to objects and name them, talk and play with the child frequently use mealtimes to encourage interaction with all family members if the child is developing slowly or has a physical disability, focus on the child's abilities and give extra stimulation and interaction do not leave a child in one position for many hours make the area as safe as possible to prevent accidents continue to breastfeed and ensure that the child has enough food and a variety of family foods help the child experiment with spoon/cup feeding make sure that the child is fully immunized and receives all recommended doses of micronutrient supplements.
Warning signs to watch for:	the child does not make sounds in response to others the child does not look at objects that move the child is listless and does not respond to the caregiver the child has no appetite or refuses food.
	By the age of TWO YEARS
A child should be able to:	walk, climb and run point to objects or pictures when they are named (e.g., nose, eyes) say several words together (from about 15 months) follow simple instructions scribble if given a pencil or crayon enjoy simple stories and songs imitate the behaviour of others begin to eat by herself or himself.
Advice for parents and caregivers:	read, sing or play games with the child teach the child to avoid dangerous objects talk to the child normally – do not use baby talk continue to breastfeed and ensure the child has enough food and a variety of family foods encourage, but do not force, the child to eat provide simple rules and set reasonable expectations praise the child's achievements.
Warning signs to watch for:	lack of response to others difficulty keeping balance while walking (see a trained health worker) injuries and unexplained changes in behaviour (especially if the child has been cared for by others) lack of appetite.
	By the age of THREE YEARS
A child should be able to:	walk, run, climb, kick and jump easily recognize and identify common objects and pictures by pointing make sentences of two or three words say her or his own name and age name colours understand numbers use make-believe objects in play feed herself or himself express affection.
Advice for parents and caregivers:	read and look at books with the child and talk about the pictures tell the child stories and teach rhymes and songs give the child her or his own bowl or plate of food continue to encourage the child to eat, giving the child as much time as he or she needs help the child learn to dress, wash her or his hands and use the toilet.
Warning signs to watch for:	loss of interest in playing frequent falling difficulty manipulating small objects failure to understand simple messages inability to speak using several words little or no interest in food.
	By the age of FIVE YEARS
A child should be able to:	move in a coordinated way speak in sentences and use many different words understand opposites (e.g., fat and thin, tall and short) play with other children dress without help answer simple questions count 5 to 10 objects wash her or his hands.
Advice for parents and caregivers:	listen to the child interact frequently with the child if the child stutters, suggest she or he speak more slowly read and tell stories encourage the child to play and explore.
Warning signs to watch for:	observe the roles children take in play. If the child is fearful, angry or violent, these may be signs of emotional problems or abuse.

On child development and early learning, see also:

Why it is important

All key messages

Supporting information for key messages: 1 2 3 4 5

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