Babies develop at their own pace, so it's impossible to tell exactly when your child will learn a given skill. The developmental milestones listed below will give you a general idea of the changes you can expect, but don't be alarmed if your own baby's development takes a slightly different course.
Social and Emotional Enjoys social play
Interested in mirror images
Responds to other people's expressions of emotion and appears joyful often
Cognitive Finds partially hidden object
Explores with hands and mouth
Struggles to get objects that are out of reach
Language Responds to own name
Begins to respond to "no"
Can tell emotions by tone of voice
Responds to sound by making sounds
Uses voice to express joy and displeasure
Babbles chains of sounds
Movement Rolls both ways (front to back, back to front)
Sits with, and then without, support on hands
Supports whole weight on legs
Reaches with one hand
Transfers object from hand to hand
Uses hand to rake objects
Vision Develops full color vision
Distance vision matures
Ability to track moving objects improves
Developmental Health Watch
Alert your child's doctor or nurse if your child displays any of the following signs of possible developmental delay for this age range. Seems very stiff, with tight muscles
Seems very floppy, like a rag doll
Head still flops back when body is pulled to a sitting position
Reaches with one hand only
Refuses to cuddle
Shows no affection for the person who cares for him or her
Doesn't seem to enjoy being around people
One or both eyes consistently turn in or out
Persistent tearing, eye drainage, or sensitivity to light
Does not respond to sounds around him or her
Has difficulty getting objects to mouth
Does not turn head to locate sounds by 4 months
Does not roll over in either direction (front to back or back to front) by 5 months
Seems impossible to comfort at night after 5 months
Does not smile on his or her own by 5 months
Cannot sit with help by 6 months
Does not laugh or make squealing sounds by 6 months
Does not actively reach for objects by 6 to 7 months
Does not follow objects with both eyes at near (1 foot) and far (6 feet) ranges by 7 months
Does not bear weight on legs by 7 months
Does not try to attract attention through actions by 7 months
Does not babble by 8 months
Shows no interest in games of peek-a-boo by 8 months
Experiences a dramatic loss of skills he or she once
Content source: National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities,CDC Act Early Informational Material,From CARING FOR YOUR BABY AND YOUNG CHILD: BIRTH TO AGE 5 by Steven Shelov, Robert E. Hannermann, � 1991, 1993, 1998, 2004 by the American Academy of Pediatrics
