Physical Development:
"Child-proofing" becomes important as babies
get more mobile. They spend more time playing on their
own because they can now sit up and grasp things.
Babies usually start crawling between seven and 11
months. During this time most begin to:
• Crawl backward or forward or scoot on their
stomachs
• Get into a sitting position from stomach
• Grasp and pull things toward self
• Transfer objects between hands
• Stand while holding on to something or someone
• Develop motor skill called the "pincer
grasp i.e. holding tiny objects between thumb and
forefinger.
• Begin to climb couches, coffee tables etc
Social and Emotional development:
Babies demonstrate a wide range of emotions and stronger
preferences for familiar people. Most babies:
• Express several clearly differentiated emotions
• Distinguish family from strangers
• Respond actively to language and gestures
• Show displeasure at the loss of a toy or when
something is taken away from them
• Crave social situations and playtimes; love
playing peek-a-boo, patty-cake
• Learn to clap hands
• Are content to explore and play independently
for a while, so long you are close by
Thinking Skills:
Scientists have found that babies begin very early
to comprehend how the world works. Infants have been
found to:
• Stare longer at "impossible" events
(like ordinary objects suspended in midair e.g. musical
mobile)
• Make a distinction between inanimate and animate
objects, and understand that inanimate objects like
toys must be made to move using force
• Tell one picture apart from another by the
number of items on them
• Use the relative size of objects as a clue
to how close or how far away they are
• Understand that toys don't disappear when
they're hidden; they still exist somewhere
Most babies this age:
• look for dropped objects
• recognize own name in a string of words
• can recall events in the recent past
Communication Skills:
Children's vocalization increases about now. Most
babies of this age:
• Begin repetitive babbling
• Associate gestures with simple words and two-word
phrases, e.g. waves "bye-bye"
• Use vocal and non-vocal communication to express
interest
• Enjoy communicating with their little 'friend'
in the mirror
• Understand the meaning of "no"
• Understand simple commands like "give mummy
the cup"
What you can do: Give him plenty
of opportunities and room to crawl. Place him over
a large, empty tin so he can get into the crawling
position and start to develop his postural muscles.
Introduce toys in the bath as this will enhance your
child's tracking skills (watching toys float away)
Pouring is an excellent way to develop shoulder muscles
and enhance coordination skills.
Trivia:
A
word of caution on walkers!
Baby walkers are believed to help little ones travel
from room to room? Wrong! Many doctors discourage
the use of baby walkers because too many babies have
fallen down staircases while in a walker; walkers
also can tip over or roll onto the fingers or toes
of other children at home. Some doctors also advocate
that too much time in a walker can slow down muscle
development.
Separation anxiety
Accept separation anxiety. It is real. Your baby wants
to be with you, and she may fall apart when you leave
the room. Sometimes your baby even may lose control
when her dad is left in charge! But most of the times,
if your baby is left alone with another familiar face,
she does just fine. If her separation anxiety is serious,
you may have to limit your time away from your baby
until she passes through this phase. Take heart -
it is temporary.
Milk, etc.
Don't allow her security object to be a bottle of
milk or juice -- sucking on these liquids for long
periods of time, especially during the night, can
cause tooth decay.
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 doctor.
