Infant Development

Infant development and screening involve the following areas:

• Gross motor

• Fine motor

• Communication

• Problem solving

• Personal-social

• Social-emotional

Your baby’s first relationship is with you. There are many ways to promote your baby’s development:

• Teach them their little world is a safe place and that they are loved.

• Quickly respond to your baby’s needs and be very gentle and loving.

• When your baby is fussy, try to uncover the reason (scared, hungry, thirsty, cold, hot, etc.) Responding to your baby’s wants and needs will help form a strong emotional attachment between you both. A strong bond is one of the best things for your baby’s development.

What signs should I watch out for that could indicate my baby needs a developmental evaluation?

Signs from birth to 12 months include:

• Having eating difficulties.

• Not gaining weight or is losing weight.

• Sleeping difficulties (too much/too little).

• Showing little preference for any adult.

• Resists holding.

• Crying for prolonged periods.

• Being hard to console.

• Rarely making eye contact with others.

• Not showing interest in people or things going on around them.

• Not reacting to simple games like peek-a-boo.