Infant - newborn development

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Developmental milestones

Infantile reflexes

Moro reflex

Skull of a newborn

When describing infant development, tasks are generally categorized into the following headings: Gross motor (examples are head control, sitting, walking), fine motor (examples are holding a spoon, pincer grasp), sensory(sight, hearing, etc.), language, and social.

The physical development of the infant begins at the head, then progresses to other parts of the body (for example, sucking comes before sitting, which comes before walking).

Physical milestones:

• newborn through 2 months
  • The infant can lift and turn the head when lying on its back.
  • The neck is unable to support the head when pulled to a sitting position.
  • The hands are fisted, the arms are flexed.
  • Primitive reflexes are in full operation. These include:
    • rooting and sucking -- turns head in search of nipple when cheek is touched and begins to suck when nipple touches lips.
    • tonic neck response -- left leg extends when infant gazes to the left, while right arm and leg flex inward, and vice versa.
    • palmar hand grasp -- infant closes its hand and "grips" your finger.
    • plantar grasp -- infant flexes the toes and forefoot.
    • Babinski reflex -- toes fan outward when sole of foot is stroked.
    • Moro reflex -- extends arms then bends and pulls them in toward body.
    • placing -- leg extends when sole of foot is stimulated.
    • stepping and walking -- takes brisk steps when both feet placed on a surface, with body supported.
• 3 through 4 months
  • Primitive reflexes have either already disappeared, or are in the process of doing so.
  • Hand and feet actions begin to come under willed control, but are by no means fine-tuned. The infant may begin to use both hands, working together, to accomplish desired effects. The infant is still unable to coordinate the grasp, but swipes at objects to bring them closer.
  • The infant raises up (upper torso, shoulders, and head) with arms when lying face down (on his tummy).
  • Neck muscles are developed enough to allow the infant to sit, with support, and keep head up.
  • Enhanced eye-muscle control allows the infant to track objects.
  • Increased acuity of vision allows the infant to distinguish objects from backgrounds with minimal contrast (such as a button on a blouse of the same color).
• 5 through 6 months
  • The infant begins to grasp blocks or cubes using what's called the ulnar-palmar grasp technique (pressing the block into palm of hand while flexing or bending wrist in). Does not yet use thumb opposition.
  • The infant rolls from back to stomach. When on tummy, the infant can push up with arms to raise the shoulders and head above surface and look around or reach for objects.
  • Able to sit alone, without support, for only moments initially and then up to 30 seconds or more.
• 6 through 9 months
  • The infant is able to sit steadily, without support, for long periods of time.
  • The infant may pull into and maintain a standing position while holding onto furniture.
  • The infant can walk while holding the hand of an adult.
  • The infant learns to sit down from a standing position.
• 9 through 12 months
  • The infant begins to balance while standing alone.
  • The infant takes steps and begins to walk alone.