Development of a Toddler

Parents wonder if their toddler is on track with physical and mental development. While all children progress at their own speed, there are milestones that will tell you if your child is moving at a comparable pace. In addition to these guidelines and your own observations, your toddler's health care provider is the best judge of developmental growth. It's perfectly normal for some children to develop in one area more quickly than in another.

Coordination

• Around their first birthday, most babies begin to experiment with walking. Their first few steps may be guarded or they may take off without a backwards glance. It's common, however, for a child to wait an additional six months before walking. Many 1-year olds will walk around the walls or pull themselves up on furniture months before walking on their own. At this time, they are also developing their fine motor coordination and they will practice the pincher technique of grasping small objects with their thumb and fingers. Nearly everything they pick up during this stage, goes directly into their mouths.

Verbal

• A toddler's verbal skills are developing quickly between the ages of one and three. At one, they may mimic sounds and single-syllable words. They will understand the emotions behind some words, such as "no" and they may respond by crying. Likewise, they will respond happily to playful voice tones. By their second birthday, most toddlers will put two or more words together, "bye-bye," or "I want cookie" and they will use appropriate voice tones with their speech although many words may still be garbled.

Imitation

• Your toddler learns by watching and imitating you and others. A two-year-old will mimic adult behavior, such as wiping up a spill, throwing away a dirty diaper or pretending to cook or clean. A toddler will also mimic words, especially expletives that an adult uses.

Independence

• The mild 1-year old often morphs in the terrible 2-year old when he begins to assert his independence. At this stage, stubbornness is common and if the parent gives in to a demanding toddler, he will become even more adamant in the future. This is normal and setting strict guidelines is a must. Some toddlers who have a hard time controlling their emotions, display temper tantrums during this period.

Mental

• Between the ages of one and two, your toddler is learning at an accelerated pace, even if it isn't always apparent. By two, he may be able to hold a crayon and scribble on a piece of paper and he will begin using a child's spoon to feed himself. Provide fun challenges during this time by helping your child sort blocks according to color or size and help him learn the names of family members and friends.

Shyness

• Most toddlers go through a temporary shy stage where they cling to their parents and cry upon separation. While normal, this is unsettling for many parents. During this stage, the toddler is noticing the absence of a parent and this observation sets the stage for future mental development as the child learns to relate cause with effect and repetition.

Precautions

• Although your child may develop along these guidelines, it is quite likely that he may be slower or faster on many of the skills. A premature baby often develops slightly slower than a full-term baby does. If you have any concerns, contact your healthcare provider. Although unlikely, a vision or hearing problem may slow a toddler's development.