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Missing Milestones: What to Know About Developmental Delays

by | Feb 18, 2025 | About, Developmental Disability, Early Intervention, General, Home, News and Events

Baby boy crawling on floor at home with dad watching

The baby and toddler years are filled with many important firsts: smiles, words, steps.

But what should you do if your infant or toddler misses milestones?

How to Recognize a Developmental Delay

It’s important to remember that all children develop at their own pace, and most milestones have a wide range of normal timings. So, if your cousin’s baby is walking at 8 months, but your child is 10 months and still crawling, it’s not necessarily reason for concern.

So, it’s important to know what normal development looks like. The CDC offers an app that tracks milestones–or a pretty comprehensive printable tracker.

Some milestones to look for include:

  • 0-3 months: Coos and smiles, visually follows an object, can hold head erect
  • 3-6 months: Responds to own name, strings vowels together when babbling, rolls over in both directions
  • 6-12 months: Begins to speak first words, sits unsupported, looks to named objects
  • 12-18 months: Follows simple commands, drinks from a cup, walks alone
  • 18-24 months: Says sentences with 2-4 words, points to pictures in a book, kicks a ball
  • 2-3 years: Follows instructions with 2-3 steps, uses pretend play, walks up and down steps

As a parent, you know your baby best. If you are concerned about their development, don’t wait to seek support. Early intervention can make a huge difference. Contact your pediatrician with any concerns. You can also turn to our Parent Education Infant Development program, which serves children birth to 3 years in the City of Fredericksburg or the counties of Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania, and Stafford. We provide a free assessment to see if your child is eligible for early intervention services.

How to Support Your Baby or Toddler

Babies develop naturally, but there are things you can do to support your little one and to help them thrive.

  • Talk and sing with your baby/toddler throughout the day
  • Place baby on their tummy for short periods
  • Play interactive games like peek-a-boo and hide-and-seek with objects
  • Provide a variety of textures for sensory input
  • Read to your baby
  • Provide toys that encourage development, such as rattles, dolls, toy cars, blocks (as age appropriate)
  • Respond when your baby smiles, laughs or makes faces
  • Sing simple songs and recite nursery rhymes
  • Roll a ball to your baby/toddler
  • Offer finger foods to develop fine motor skills
  • Limit the time your baby spends in infant seats, bouncers, swings so they have plenty of opportunities to move
  • Provide different environments to provide visual stimulation
  • Massage your baby (check out this video from the American Academy of Pediatrics to learn how to safely massage an infant)

What to Do When There is a Developmental Delay

Tell your child’s healthcare provider if you notice any delays.

Contact our early intervention program for a free assessment, if you live in the City of Fredericksburg or the counties of Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania, or Stafford. Call 540-372-3561 or 877-268-4169.

If you live outside of our service area, go here to find your early intervention program.

Our early intervention services start with a free visit from a support coordinator, who will ask for a detailed account of your concerns. The support coordinator will then schedule a free developmental screening, where the little one will be assessed by a team of staff members from various fields, including early childhood special education, occupational therapy, speech/language therapy, and physical therapy.

If your child is found eligible for early intervention services, we will work with you to create a plan that combines your priorities with our expertise. These parent-led plans start with a simple question: What’s important to you?

Services can be covered by insurance or we provide a sliding-scale of fees. No one will be denied services because they can’t pay.

Does a Developmental Delay Mean Disability?

Not necessarily. There are many reasons a baby or toddler could be late on reaching milestones. Some of these reasons might be short-term (such as a delay in speech due to ear infections). Sometimes, we don’t know why a child is delayed, but they catch up after receiving early intervention services. About one-third of tiny tykes who receive early intervention services do not present with a disability or require special education services.

Sometimes, a developmental delay does signal a disability. It is important to note that whether your child has a developmental delay or a disability, early intervention is key.

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