Milestones are the definite landmarks in the growth and development of the child. The term “Delayed milestone” (or “developmental delays”) is used to describe the condition where a child does not reach one of these stages at the expected age. Delayed growth involves poor or abnormally slow gains in weight or height in a child younger than 5 years old..Milestones are often measured using percentiles, and for many milestones a value between the 5th and 95th percentile does not require intervention, though values towards the edges of that range can be associated with other medical conditions.
Causes
- Low birth weight
- Birth asphyxia
- Brain injury
- Genetics
- Poor Nutrition
- Infections
- Chronic diseases
- Psychosocial health.
Examples of milestones important for motor development
- Reaching for toys at three to four months
- Rolling onto back at around four months
- Sitting without assistance at six to seven months
- Smiling at around six weeks
- Walking at 10 to 14 months