As any parent can tell you, there’s not much more exciting than watching your child grow and develop. Unfortunately, when a birth injury occurs due to negligence, there’s a chance that the developmental milestones are missed.
As a parent, you should recognize the various milestones many children reach at certain stages of their lives. Keep in mind, not all children are the same and failure to hit a milestone may not mean anything at all, but in some cases, it may mean there is a birth injury or issue present.
By 2 Months Old
When your child is two months old, they should be exhibiting a few different actions and abilities:
- Smiling at people
- Calming him or herself
- Trying to look at a parent
- Making gurgling sounds
- Turning to sounds
- Paying attention to faces
- Beginning to follow items or people
- Holding up his or her head
- Pushing up when lying on his or her tummy
By 4 Months Old
When your child is four months old, they may do the following:
- Smiling spontaneously at the sight of people
- Playing with people
- Copying movements and facial expressions
- Beginning to copy sounds
- Crying for pain, hunger, or fatigue
- Responding to affection
- Using hands and eyes in coordination
- Recognizing familiar people
- Holding head steady while unsupported
- Starting to try and roll over from tummy to back
By 1 Year Old
By the time your baby is one year old, milestones can include the following:
- Acting shy with strangers
- Crying when mom or dad leaves
- Repeating sounds and actions
- Playing games such as peek a boo
- Responding to simple commands
- Shaking his or her head or waving
- Saying small words
- Exploring new actions
- Clapping items together
- Letting things go
- Standing up on his or her own or walking
- Getting into sitting position alone
By 2 Years Old
When your child reaches the age of two years old, the milestones should include the following:
- Getting excited when other children are around
- Becoming more independent
- Becoming more defiant
- Repeating words heard in conversation
- Saying sentences with 2 to 4 words
- Recognizes familiar people and body parts
- Sorting colors and shapes
- Building towers with blocks and toys
- Following two or more step instructions
- Standing on his or her tip toes
- Kicking a ball
- Climbing on furniture without help
Missing these milestones doesn’t always indicate a birth injury, but there are some situations where medical negligence can result in developmental issues. It’s best to speak with our Albuquerque birth injury attorneys at James Wood Law. We’re here to help if negligence was involved during a pregnancy or delivery.