DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES Humans are complex individuals who grow and mature on many levels at different stages of life.

Depending upon the kind of growth pattern, there are two major terms used. Growth refers to the growth of a child based on physical characteristics. These include anthropomorphic measures, such as height, weight, head circumference etc. The development of the child refers to the development of various skills, whether they are intellectual, emotional or physical in nature. The paediatrician very closely observes both the growth and development of the child on the different scales accepted internationally. Any increase or decrease in the speed of these milestones prompts investigation. These developmental milestones are not hard to follow, provided the parent is well read and educated about them. Here is a very brief introduction about what actually defines development and what areas encompass development. Developmental milestones are certain human qualities that children attain at various ages of life. These skills include gross motor skills, fine motor skills, language and speech recognition, cognitive skills and social skills respectively. Note that developmental milestones are very much independent from the physical growth. Still, some developmental milestones can only be attained when certain anatomical and physiological growth parameters are attained. The breakdown of these developmental milestones is as follows Gross motor skills: Gross motor skills are rudimentary skills that humans develop in the very initial stages after birth. The logic is that the human brain develops fully over the course of seven years. Each time frame focuses on development of certain skills. The gross motor skills are some of the first areas of development. Fine motor skills: The fine motor skills start to emerge as the childs neural pathways or nervous system becomes more mature and fine-tuned, similar to a circuit system. Children learn to eat, draw, dress, play and write etc. Language: Language is a very strong developmental milestone that your paediatrician will focus on. Children learn to speak, use body language as a mode of communication, and understand and respond to different statements addressed towards them. Cognitive skills: refer to the thinking skills and capacities. These include learning, understanding, problem-solving, reasoning and remembering. Social skills: Humans are social creatures needing social support and encouragement to grow. These skills include interaction with others, creating relations with family and external members of the society, cooperating and responding to the feelings of others. Regular check-ups help the paediatrician keep record of the development of the child. It also helps identify any potential developmental milestones delays at early stage and take corrective measures accordingly. REFERENCES Developmental Milestones. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Site last accessed on February 2nd, 2013 from http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/index.html

Developmental Milestones. University of Michigan Health System. Site last accessed on February 3rd, 2013 from http://www.med.umich.edu/yourchild/topics/devmile.htm Developmental Milestones National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities. Site last accessed on February 4th, 2013 from http://nichcy.org/disability/milestones