Physical Development:
By this time, most babies can:
• Sit without support
•
Stand unaided
• Walk if you hold both hands
• Sit down from a standing position
• Roll a ball
• Throw objects
• Pick things up with thumb and one finger
• Drop and pick up toys
• Squat and stoop
• Cruise furniture without your assistance
• Climb stairs up but cant climb down
• Walk well enough (keep in mind that good crawlers
often are late walkers).
Social and Emotional development:
As they near age one, imitation and self-regulation
gain importance. Most babies can:
• Feed themselves finger foods
• Learn to drink from a sippy cup
• Hold out arms and legs while being dressed
• Mimic simple actions such as talking on the
phone
• Make wet razzing sounds (some call these raspberries)
• Show anxiety when separated from primary caregiver
• Display anxiety in company of strangers
• Display affection by hugging, kissing, patting,
smiling
• Show resistance for naps and bedtimes
• Demonstrate temporary but intense preference
for one parent
• Rock or bounce to music
• Show uneasiness at strange places
Thinking Skills:
As they grow, children continue to explore how the
world works. At this age, most babies:
• Understand that an object still exists even
when it's not in view
• Respond to simple questions with gestures,
sounds, and perhaps words
• Imitate gestures and actions
• Experiment with the physical properties of
objects, for example, by seeing how objects fit into
a container or what happens if the container is turned
over
• Enjoy looking at picture books
• Know that smaller items fit into larger ones
• Build blocks of four
• Turn household items into potential toys
• Anticipate events e.g. when you grab your
bag it means you are going out
• Show awareness of heights and may have a fear
of them e.g. top of a flight of stairs
Communication Skills:
Children are getting ready to talk. Around the first
birthday, language production doubles. Many babies
of this age:
•
Understand the names of familiar people and objects
• Understand much of what is being spoken
• Show their understanding with responsive body
language and facial expressions instead of cries
• Make more and more intelligible sounds
• Respond to a firm "no" by stopping
what they are doing
• Know the word "no" but want to try something
new anyway
• Engage in conversational gibberish
What you can do: Let him do as much
as possible by himself. Provide toys that roll away
and move, to encourage him to be more mobile. Rearrange
the furniture so he has lots of low tables and chairs
with which to pull himself up and support himself
while he explores the room.
Trivia:
Shoeless is cool.
Wondering what's the appropriate footwear for your
newly mobile baby? Well wonder no more. Most doctors
recommend nothing. Your baby's feet develop best when
they're bare; this helps build arches and strengthen
ankles. But if you're looking for protection while
you're outdoors, choose low-cut pair of shoes with
flexible soles & uppers, flat nonskid bottoms,
and a roomy fit.
Memory
Baby may remember events. A song heard before may
trigger memories in your child when she hears it again.
She may not articulate in words, but her excited smiles
and facial expressions will say it all. "Out
of sight, out of mind" no longer applies. If
your child has ever enjoyed unrolling the toilet tissue,
chances are she'll remember the pleasure every time
she passes the door.
Food for thought
At 12 months, your baby is ready to use a training
cup. It is advisable to gradually cut back on her
traditional liquid feedings and increase her intake
of solid foods to compensate for the decrease in liquids
and to fuel any growth spurts she may be experiencing.
Some 1-year-olds experience a waning appetite about
now. Keep in mind that although babies triple their
birth weight during the first year, they add only
about a quarter of their weight during the second
year. Reasons for the slow-down could be she'd rather
be playing; she's testing her newfound independence.
Don't be surprised if it's due to teething.
Try to strike the right balance between letting her
eat when she's hungry and allowing her be 'picky'
when she's not. Don't force food on her, but exercise
control over snacking in-between meals.
All babies have their own internal developmental timetable.
If your baby hasn't yet reached these milestones,
rest assured that she will in time. If you have concerns
about your baby's development, discuss them with her
pediatrician.
