Is my child on Track?
Developmental milestones are behavioral or physical milestones seen in infants and children as they grow and develop.
From birth to five years old, your child should reach milestones in how he or she plays, learns, speaks, moves, & acts.
Birth- 3 months: newborns should be able to raise their head, move it from side to side, push themselves up when on their stomach. By 3 months, most babies will begin to imitate facial expressions.
7-months: baby should be responding to their own name, attempting to reply to you with sounds and starting to babble.
By 18 months: they should be walking and undressing themselves.
By 2 years: they should be able to point objects described to them and even string together two-three words sentences. They will become more independent, which may include defiance behavior that’s why it’s call the “terrible twos!!”
By 3 years: they should be running, climbing, and pedaling a tricycle.
By 5 years: they should be able to recall parts of a story, know their name and speak in longer sentences. They should also be able to sing, dance and play with friends.
I have provided free milestone tracker link from CDC.
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones-app.html
What are signs of Autism?
By 6 months
- Few or no big smiles or other warm, joyful and engaging expressions
- Limited or no eye contact
By 9 months
- Little or no back-and-forth sharing of sounds, smiles or other facial expressions
By 12 months
- Little or no babbling
- Little or no back-and-forth gestures such as pointing, showing, reaching or waving.
- Little or no response to name
By 16 months
- Very few or no words
By 24 months
- Very few or no meaningful, two-word phrases (not including imitating or repeating)
At any age
- Loss of previously acquired speech, babbling or social skills.
- A desire to be left alone.
- Avoidance of eye contact.
- Difficulty understanding other people’s feelings.
- Delayed language development
- Persistent repetition of words or phrases (echolalia)
- Behavior problems to minor changes in a routine or different environments.
- Restricted interests
- Repetitive behaviors (flapping, rocking, spinning, jumping, etc.)
- Unusual and intense reactions to sounds, smells, tastes, textures, lights and/or colors.
If you have any concerns about your child, contact your healthcare provider and have your child screened.
I have a link to help you determine if a professional should evaluate your child from Autism Speaks website.