IS A BABY'S DEVELOPMENT PREDETERMINED BASED ON FIXED MILESTONES?

Andrea Kunze

EPY 2050

WHAT IS A GROWTH MILESTONE?

Developmental milestones are behaviors or physical skills seen in infants and children as they grow and develop.

Rolling over, crawling, walking, and talking are all considered milestones. Each milestone is different

depending on the age range.

WHY DO PEOPLE BELIEVE IN THE “MILESTONES”?It seems that when people start having children, and they see other babies (friends, family, etc.) doing things that theirs isn’t, the issue of whether their baby is “developing right” rises. For example, “Why is my sisters baby already walking? My baby is a month older and is only crawling still.”

As well Social media aids in a way of making people believe what the “norm” should be. In particular, with children, new parents will read into all sorts of books, articles, movies, and more to learn how things should be for their baby. In reality though, each baby is different with their own personalities and learning at their own pace. Parents need to keep in mind that babies are people too (Bell).

INFLUENCES ON THIS BELIEF

First time parent’s concern Growth Calculator’s (rising the concern of whether your

child is on track with others) Baby books focusing on keeping a child on track of their

milestones (i.e. The Wonder Years: Helping Your Baby and Young Child Successfully Negotiate the Major Developmental Milestones, by The American Academy of Pediatrics and Tanya Remer Altmann )

Popular Movies (i.e. What to Expect When Expecting) Even your internet pop-up ads if your searches are baby

related after awhile.

THE REAL CASE

Babies develop at their own individual pace Milestones are estimated markers, NOT baby clock work Parents can influence quicker developments (nature vs. nurture) from

how quick babies see, to how soon they can recognize objects The environment you raise a baby can influence how it develops as well

from being able to walk (if you swaddle longer or have slippery floors) Physical developments can be hindered or enhanced because of nature

in itself. Babies who are deficient in needed nutrients or have different diets

Physical, Social, and Cognitive developments in a child are influenced by all surroundings; from the parents to the objects

around them.

HOW DO WE REALLY KNOW?Through a number of psychological studies and theories

One example is:

Dr. Marianella Casasola’s research at Cornell on children’s verbal development before age two.

Experiment Results

REASONS FOR “MILESTONE” DIFFERENCES If your baby was born prematurely, their development will

lag behind full-term babies, and that is normal. You also need to remember that every baby is different,

and there is normally variation in development. Most babies, most of the time, develop normally, but at

their own pace. Parental influences through experience-expectant brain

growth, and enhanced stimulation (In most babies, this reflex is stimulated by accident but the mother can arrange for that ‘accident’ to happen with greater frequency and intensity for a quicker response to be learned)

CONCESSION TO

There are milestones that you can watch for and expect to see approximately at certain times such as your child should be crawling by 1 year, and if you do not see your child developing definitely be concerned. BUT the milestones are there as an aid rather than a clock work for a child.

With so many different cultural, environmental and parental influences there will unquestionably be differences in development from child to child. Babies, like people, have a mind of their own and can choose when they want to take an interest in moving on to the next “milestone”.

WORKS CITED

Casasola, Marianella. "Research." Research. Cornell University College of Human Ecology, n.d. Web. 08 Feb. 2014.

Goldstein, Lisa A. "10 Baby Myths Revealed." BabyZone. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Feb. 2014.

Ho, Elaine, and Jeffery Bisanz. "Developmental Theory - Cognitive And Information Processing." - Children, Experiences, Language,

and Child. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Feb. 2014.

Kapalan, Anna, Dr. "Developmental Milestones, 0 to 2 Months: Is My Baby Really Smiling at Me?" EverydayFamily. N.p., n.d. Web.

08 Feb. 2014.