Sits without support (initially with a round back, then eventually with a straight back by 8 months) Raises head to 45 degrees in prone (tummy-time) Below is a list of milestones by median age of acquisition, sorted by functional areas. For instance, when considering the milestone of walking – the median age is 12 months, with a limit age of 18 months.ĭevelopmental milestones are acquired in a serial manner – one after the other – and their achievement follows a similar pattern between children. If the skill is not achieved by this age, more detailed assessment, investigation or intervention may be required. Limit ages are generally considered to be two standard deviations from the mean age of acquisition. Early recognition is key in the management of developmental delay – making the knowledge of these key age-related moments or ‘ developmental milestones’ all the more important.ĭevelopmental milestones may be separated into four functional areas:ĭevelopmental milestones must be considered in regards to their ‘median age of acquisition’ (when half of a standard population of children achieve that level) and the ‘limit age’ by which they should have been achieved. It’s important we’re able to recognise these skills as they are useful to track a child’s progress as they grow and to allow identification of potential developmental problems.

Children acquire functional skills throughout their childhood and we use the term ‘development’ to describe those skills acquired between birth and approximately 5 years of age.

Denver developmental assessment