All babies are unique little beings, each with their own personalities and developmental profile. At ECAS, we know that developmental milestones come in a broad range, and not all skills occur at the same time for all babies. The good news is, for all but a few babies, these skills all eventually emerge without additional support.

The skills below are to be used as guidelines only. If your baby is not reaching these milestones by the end of the twelfth month, it should not cause you concern. Just use your instincts! Call your pediatrician and he/she will refer you to your local early intervention team.

Your baby should be able to do the following by the end of the 12th month:

• Takes toys out of a container, rings off of a rings stack
• Demonstrates drinking from a cup (pretend)
• Responds to simple requests with gestures e.g. “clap hands”, “wave bye bye”
• Enjoys looking at pictures and turns pages of a book
• Shows understanding of language by responding with appropriate gesture

• May say first word
• Stands momentarily
• Walks holding onto furniture
• Bangs two objects together
• Takes peg out of pegboard

• Uses a neat pincer grasp
• Places one block on top of another
• Finger feeds self
• Holds spoon

• Your baby is not looking at you in your eyes when he/she is playing on your lap or next to you on the floor.
• Your baby does not imitate actions in play (does not clap when you clap)
• Your baby does not cooperate in simple hand gesture games (pat a cake, peek a boo)

• Your baby is not banging two blocks together or clapping hands
• Your baby is not finger feeding self crackers or Cheerios
• Your baby is not cruising around furniture