Concerned you may have a ‘late bloomer’? Maybe you’ve printed out the CDC’s developmental milestones or use their tracker app. They provide a comprehensive checklist of what to expect from your child at various ages and stages. Remember, as they indicate, it’s what ‘most’ kids are doing. It may not be what your kid is doing and that may be just fine.
They include what to be concerned about and encourage family/parent communication with the pediatrician.
It’s also important to keep in mind that no two kids develop in exactly the same way or at exactly the same rate. My older son crawled pretty well at 6 months but preferred to hold our hands while walking until nearly 15 months. At a year, our younger one was chasing his big brother. Meanwhile our older one had several 2-3 sign phrases between 12-15 months. Much more than expected according to the ‘experts.’ It’s a spectrum like most things. Late bloomers are often on par with their peers but just haven’t yet demonstrated their skill, whether they are toddlers or teens.
One key thing is to be aware of thoughts such as “her baby is sitting up unsupported and mine doesn’t even come close…” We can get too caught up in comparisons and lose sight of what our own kids really ARE doing or what they may need. Are you seeing growth and progress?
If you and your doctors are concerned you can look into your state’s (free) early intervention services. This could include physical therapy, feeding support, even music therapy, ASL and a Deaf educator.
Signing together can support development in several areas. Among many other things, it fosters language acquisition and fine motor coordination. Babies can begin to sign well before they’re ready for speech, and early language use leads to strong social – emotional development, self identity, and so much more. You’ll still see a wide range of response time and that’s okay. Even if your child is a ‘late bloomer’ they will bloom on their own time in their own unique way.