Is My Baby Developing Normally?

Many parents wonder whether their baby is developing as they should. They compare their baby’s abilities with other babies around them. Babies often meet milestones at different paces. But what is normal?

A tool by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy can help parents tell when a child's physical development may be cause for concern. The interactive tool—Physical Developmental Delays: What to Look For—helps parents of children ages 5 and younger assess their child's motor development.

Some physical (motor) delays are obvious. But even children who appear to achieve milestones by the typical age can have subtle differences in how they perform activities. This tool includes descriptions of physical development grouped by age and activity.

Parents can click on the age of their child or on specific concerns to create a list that can be taken to their pediatrician. The tool also has tips for talking with a pediatrician, resources for physical delays and videos that show examples of normal and delayed development for some activities.

Parents know their baby best and watch them develop. If you have concerns, trust your instincts and talk to your pediatrician. This tool will give you the information you need to determine if there is cause for concern and help you talk to your pediatrician where you will be referred to the appropriate resources to help your child if needed.

View the tool

Call (866) MY-LI-DOC (866-695-4362) to find a Catholic Health physician near you.

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