9 Months – What most babies do at this age:
Social and Emotional
• May be afraid of strangers
• May be clingy with familiar adults
• Has favorite toys
Language/Communication
• Understands “no”
• Makes a lot of different sounds like “mamamama” and “bababababa”
• Copies sounds and gestures of others
• Uses fingers to point at things
Cognitive (learning, thinking, problem-solving)
• Watches the path of something as it falls
• Looks for things he sees you hide
• Plays peek-a-boo
• Puts things in her mouth
• Moves things smoothly from one hand to the other
• Picks up things like cereal o’s between thumb and index finger
Movement/Physical Development
• Stands, holding on
• Can get into sitting position
• Sits without support
• Pulls to stand
• Crawls
We recommend you seek counsel from your babies doctor if your child:
• Doesn’t bear weight on legs with support
• Doesn’t sit with help
• Doesn’t babble (“mama”, “baba”, “dada”)
• Doesn’t play any games involving back-and-forth play
• Doesn’t respond to own name
• Doesn’t seem to recognize familiar people
• Doesn’t look where you point
• Doesn’t transfer toys from one hand to the other
You may not know this, but the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends children be screened for general development using standardized measures at 9,18,24 and 30 months and for autism at 18 and 24 months or whenever a parent or child care provider has a concern. We find that unless parents are proactive in asking for a screening or describe actions or lack thereof that give them concern, most pediatricians are unaware of your child’s developmental delays. Many take a “wait and see approach” but you should request a screening if you as the parent have an unsettled feeling about your child’s growth and development.
This information was taken from the CDC’s website and meant to give you guidelines for development. For more information or if you are concerned, log onto the CDC’s “If You’re Concerned” website.
