The biggest concern of new parents is whether their baby is on track and progressing with the developmental milestones that they should be. There are a lot of amazing resources and checklists that parents can access now online but it can be overwhelming and it’s easy to fall into the comparison trap with other babies and toddlers of friends and family that are close to their child’s age.
Below, I have put together a Red Flags for Infants/Toddlers that can be used as a screening tool as well as typical gross motor skills to expect for children 2-5 years of age.
Pathways also has Developmental milestone checklists by age categories that is supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics findings. I have included links herefor all of these here for you to easily access and then print off!
If your baby or toddler demonstrates any of the red flags listed then it would be good to discuss these with your Pediatrician and see if a Physical Therapy Evaluation would be beneficial.
Red Flags for Infants/Toddlers:
0-3 months: Difficulty lifting head, stiff legs with little or no movement, pushes back with head lying on back, keeps hands fisted and lacks arm movement. 3-6 months: Rounded back in supported sitting, unable to lift head up, poor head control, difficult to bring arms forward to reach out, arches back and stiffens legs, arms held back, stiff legs.
6-9 months: Uses one hand predominately, rounded back in sitting, poor use of arms in sitting, difficulty crawling, uses only one side of body to move, cannot take weight on legs, inability to straighten back. 9-12 months: Difficulty getting to stand because of stiff legs and pointed toes, only uses arms to pull up to standing, sits with weight to one side, strongly flexed or stiffly extended arms, needs to use hands to maintain sitting.
12-15 months: Unable to take steps independently, poor standing balance, falls frequently, walks on toes. 18 month to 5-6 years of age: W-sitting, tight or “floppy” muscles, falls frequently, clumsy- bumps into things, walks on toes, poor balance/coordination skills, difficulty keeping up with peers, difficulty transferring up to standing from the floor, difficulty with going up/down steps.
Typical Gross Motor Skills To Expect:
2-3 years old: Jumps in place both feet, goes up and down slide, stands on tiptoes, catches large ball, rides tricycle, walks up and down stairs holding railing (first both feet on step and then progresses to alternating feet), walks on line in general direction, imitates one foot standing, jumps forward, hops on one foot, walks backwards, jumps on trampoline with adult holding hands, runs and avoids obstacles.
3-4 years old: Catches a large ball from 5 feet away using hands/arms, walks 10 ft. pushing and pulling a wagon-type object, bounces and catches a large ball, walks down stairs with alternating feet without holding railing, stands on tiptoes for 10 seconds, kicks a stationary ball using a 2- step start, jumps forward 2 ft. distance with both feet together, runs and changes directions without stopping, performs a complete forward somersault.
4-5 years old: Gallops forward, walks 10 ft. carrying an object blocking view of floor, stands up after lying on back without losing balance, walks 4 feet on 4-inch wide beam without stepping off, throws a ball ten feet overhand, hangs from bar using overhand grip, hops forward on either foot without assistance, catches 5 or 9 in. ball 3 consecutive times from 5 feet away, stands on one foot with eyes open or closed for 6-8 seconds.
