Infant and Newborn Development
Educational information. Individual clinical review of this presentation by Dr. Ehsan is not yet documented. It does not replace personal medical evaluation.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. Read the original source
MedlinePlus data edition September 26, 2026. Imported September 27, 2026. These dates do not indicate a new clinical review of the article.
When will my baby take his first step or say her first word? During their first year, babies start to develop skills they will use for the rest of their lives. The normal growth of babies can be broken down into the following areas:
- Gross motor - controlling the head, sitting, crawling, maybe even starting to walk
- Fine motor - holding a spoon, picking up a piece of cereal between thumb and finger
- Sensory - seeing, hearing, tasting, touching and smelling
- Language - starting to make sounds, learning some words, understanding what people say
- Social - the ability to play with family members and other children
Babies do not develop at the same rate. There is a wide range of what is considered "normal." Your baby may be ahead in some areas and slightly behind in others. If you are worried about possible delays, talk to your baby's health care provider.
Symptoms, tests and care options
Further reading selected by MedlinePlus. Links open the original organizations’ websites.
- Developmental and Behavioral Screening Tests · National Library of Medicine
- Developmental Monitoring and Screening · Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Physical Therapy (For Parents) · Nemours Foundation
- Speech-Language Therapy (For Parents) · Nemours Foundation
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For a life-threatening emergency, call 911 in the U.S. or your local emergency number.
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