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Motor development in babies generally starts from head to toe and the time in which a baby learns to control his muscles may differ. However, keeping an eye on the behavior of the baby and his activities will help you decide whether your baby is showing the symptoms of delayed development or autism and get the help of your pediatrician in time. Here is a general idea of how babies generally learn to gain more and more control over their movements during their first year:
- Newborns can see only very sharp images in bright colors that are within 6 to 8 inches of their head. They cannot look around and their heads are wobbly as the muscles of their necks are still not strong enough to hold their head properly. So, we need to constant provide support to their heads at all times.
- Within 6 to eight weeks, baby’s eyes start focusing better and they are able to hold their little heads straight for short periods. Sometimes, they even look around and move their necks to see where a particular sound is coming from or to follow the movements of those surrounding the baby.
- Babies that are about three to four months old, learn to hold up their heads and also use their arms to grab their favorite toys. If you make them lie on their backs, you can dangle things above them and they will try to catch them and even managed to grapple one or two. You may encourage motor development in the child in this age by making the baby lie under the activity arch.
- Slowly, baby learns to use upper part of the body better and then may try to achieve the tripod position. Within four to six months, they try turn their body from side to side. It is at this time when most parents would like to teach games like ‘Patty Cake’ to their babies. The lyrics of the game are:
- Patty Cake, patty cake, baker’s man
- Make me a cake as fast as you can (Pat the baby during these lines)
- Roll it (roll the baby), pat it (pat the baby),
- Mark it with ‘B’ (make B on the baby’s tummy with your finger)
- Put it in the oven for baby and me. (Tickle the belly of the baby)
- These games give good exercise to your baby as he/she chuckles and laughs with you.
- Within seven to eleven months, most babies start crawling and learn to coordinate the movements of their arms and legs. However, some babies may never crawl. They directly move on from sitting to standing and walking.
- Within 12 to 14 months, most babies start practicing getting up and to walk. They use walls and your fingers as support and this is the time when you have to pay much attention to your babies as they often stumble around. Do keep an eye on your baby always during this age. If you put your baby in a walker, be sure that you are always around and that your baby does not run out of doors. Never let the babies play near stairs, when they are in a walker. It is best not to put shoes on their little feet, as it always helps that their feet touch the floor and they can feel it with their toes and soles. This helps them to balance themselves better while learning to walk.