{"id":534,"date":"2014-01-29T17:49:56","date_gmt":"2014-01-29T17:49:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/content.scienceofecd.com\/allied-health\/?page_id=534"},"modified":"2026-02-26T18:44:23","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T18:44:23","slug":"cdp-patternsofdevelopment","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/content.scienceofecd.com\/allied-health\/cdp-patternsofdevelopment\/","title":{"rendered":"CDP3: Patterns of development"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Baby<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

On this page we will look into patterns of typical development between birth and age eight. Knowing the age at which children typically demonstrate particular skills and abilities, as well as the usual progression or sequence helps us plan and care for children appropriately.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

People have been studying children for a long time to come up with a general picture of how development unfolds at various ages. Across the world, humans generally have the same patterns of development; however, there is quite a bit of individual variation in terms of when certain skills or abilities emerge.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Age-specific skills and abilities are referred to as milestones of development. Milestones are a useful way to look broadly at how development unfolds. However, it is important to keep in mind that considerable variation around when these milestones are reached is normal. For example, a child will often start taking their first steps at around 12 to 13 months. The milestone is, therefore, set at around 12 months. However, some children begin to walk at 9 months while others don\u2019t walk until 18 months. All of this is normal variation. Several factors contribute to this variability, including genetics, environment, cultural influences, and individual experiences. However, a child not walking by 2 years old would need to be followed up.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Milestones also provide information about the typical progression\/order of skill development, which allows us to anticipate what a child might be able to do next. For example, babies typically sit independently before they can crawl. This information about what a child should be doing now and what they likely will be able to do next helps adults to have realistic and reasonable expectations for children while keeping in mind that each child is an individual. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next link shows some developmental milestones, categorized by domain and age.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\n INTERACT<\/span>\n Developmental Milestones<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

Gender awareness is an important part of development that is becoming more understood. Gender awareness can begin at about 1-year of age when children may be able to categorize others by gender or at around 18 months when children may begin to understand their own gender identity (Pastel, 2019).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some gender identity milestones for children from 2 to 8-years old are included in the link below.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\n EXPLORE<\/span>\n How does gender identity develop?<\/span>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n

It is important to remember that a list of milestones is a set of general expectations and not an assessment (a standardized evaluation)<\/em> of a child’s development. While developmental milestones provide a helpful framework, it is important to remember that each child is unique and develops at their own pace. This diversity is a normal and healthy part of human growth. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Consider\u2026<\/h4>\nDakota, a very easy-going baby,\u00a0was a late walker. By age 14 months, all the other children in her play group were on their feet but Dakota was still crawling. Her parents were quite concerned and visited the pediatrician to have her checked… Read more<\/a> <\/strong>\n<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n
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