Before you even have a baby, you’ve likely seen photos of other people’s babies with “Milestone cards” or heard other parents talking about when their baby first rolled over, sat up, and began to crawl and walk.
Developmental milestones are simply used to mark the age that your child grasps a certain skill.
A study conducted in 2020 by The International Journal of Advanced Community Medicine found that knowledge of, and attention to, these milestones plays a significant role in helping parents to recognise potential developmental problems or disabilities and facilitate early intervention.
The study cites that “effective parenting depends on how much parents know about child developmentsince parents who are aware of how to support children’s development will have more positive outcomes.” Poor knowledge of milestones, however, can lead to “inappropriate expectations and overestimation of the rate of development, often resulting in impatience or intolerance of the child’s behaviour.”
We say this not to worry you, and certainly not so that you’ll start racing your child towards each milestone, quite the opposite in fact, as the more well-informed you are about the different milestones and the various times at which your child may reach them, the better positioned you’ll be to help your child meet their milestones at the right time for them.
Key milestones for your child’s development
Here are a few of the key developmental milestones of the first year in a child’s life:
- Supports their own head with good control
- Turns head when they hear a sound
- Imitates basic actions eg. clapping, waving
- Reaches out for objects
- Rolls over from back to stomach
- Sits without support
- Pulls themself up to stand using furniture
- Crawls
- Walks while holding walls/furniture
Head here for a more exhaustive list of child milestones.
How to support your child’s development
In Australia, we have access to a wealth of information on child development and are lucky to have excellent health care providers.
To assist you in your journey as a new parent who wants the best for their child, Aevum Kids Physio is launching the Aevum Bubs Club.
The Aevum Bubs Club classes are designed for newborns to babies of approximately 9 months. They’ll help you recognise developmental milestones and equip you with the confidence and strategies you need to play and engage your baby in ways that ultimately help them reach their milestones.
Aevum Bubs Club offers two different classes.
- Pre-sitters class:
This class is suitable for younger bubs (as young as newborns), who aren’t yet sitting independently and are still mastering skills like tummy time.
- Sitters class:
This class is suitable for bubs who are beginning to sit independently and beyond!
Both classes have been designed with both your child’s age and developmental stage in mind.
Aevum Kids Physio, Emily Johnson, explained that “over recent years, physios working with children have noticed increasing numbers of bubs getting flattened spots on their heads (plagiocephaly/brachycephaly) as a result of decreased tummy time to play, which in most occasions is preventable. So we’re promoting activities that increase awareness of the importance of different types of play and activities to support parents early”.
The Pre-sitters class will: cover developmentally appropriate toys for your child at different stages and guide you in practicing tasks such as various versions of tummy time, assisted rolling, and carrying positions under the guidance of a physio.
The Sitter’s class is designed for slightly more advanced/older bubs who are beginning to sit more confidently. The class will mainly focus on crawling and standing skills.
Both classes provide a social outing for new parents and the opportunity to ask about any developmental concerns they may have.
You’ll also be in a unique position where the physio leading the classes will be able to recognise and flag any concerns that may require a formal physio assessment at an early stage.
The first class will be held on Thursday 18th February (with Pre sitters at 10am and Sitters at 11am) Classes are $20 each and run at the clinic at Aevum Kids – Ground Floor, 550 Princes Highway, Kirrawee.
The classes are suitable for any parent with a baby, especially those wanting information about tips and tricks on how to support their baby’s development. They are also the perfect opportunity to ask questions and meet other families with babies of a similar age.
So if this sounds like you then get in touch with Aevum Kids now by emailing [email protected] or call Aevum 02 8554 3231.
For more information or to register online visit Aveum Bubs Club.
