Developmental Milestones and Normal Growth

Overview

Developmental milestones are a set of benchmarks Benchmarks Quality Measurement and Improvement in gross motor Motor Neurons which send impulses peripherally to activate muscles or secretory cells. Nervous System: Histology, fine motor Motor Neurons which send impulses peripherally to activate muscles or secretory cells. Nervous System: Histology, language, cognition, social/emotional, and behavior patterns expected by a certain age.

Assessment of developmental disorders must take into account gestational age Gestational age The age of the conceptus, beginning from the time of fertilization. In clinical obstetrics, the gestational age is often estimated as the time from the last day of the last menstruation which is about 2 weeks before ovulation and fertilization. Pregnancy: Diagnosis, Physiology, and Care at birth; e.g., a premature Premature Childbirth before 37 weeks of pregnancy (259 days from the first day of the mother’s last menstrual period, or 245 days after fertilization). Necrotizing Enterocolitis baby should be expected to reach their milestones appropriately for their chronological age.

Pediatricians assess developmental milestones at every well-child visit for:

• Screening Screening Preoperative Care
• Surveillance

Developmental Milestones: 0–12 Months

Growth parameters Growth Parameters Child and Adolescent Care during the 1st year:

By the end of the 1st year, a child’s weight should be triple their birth weight, and their height should increase by 50% from their height at birth.

Developmental Milestones: 1–5 Years

Screening Recommendations

It is recommended to use standardized screening Screening Preoperative Care for early identification Identification Defense Mechanisms of developmental or behavioral problems.

Clinical Relevance

• Primitive reflexes Primitive Reflexes Primitive reflexes are involuntary motor responses that can be elicited after birth. Although these reflexes are important for survival, they gradually disappear within the 1st year of life due to their inhibition by the developing frontal lobe. Primitive Reflexes: actions mediated by the brainstem or spinal cord Spinal cord The spinal cord is the major conduction pathway connecting the brain to the body; it is part of the CNS. In cross section, the spinal cord is divided into an H-shaped area of gray matter (consisting of synapsing neuronal cell bodies) and a surrounding area of white matter (consisting of ascending and descending tracts of myelinated axons). Spinal Cord: Anatomy level. Present at birth and disappear during normal childhood development of higher-functioning brain Brain The part of central nervous system that is contained within the skull (cranium). Arising from the neural tube, the embryonic brain is comprised of three major parts including prosencephalon (the forebrain); mesencephalon (the midbrain); and rhombencephalon (the hindbrain). The developed brain consists of cerebrum; cerebellum; and other structures in the brain stem. Nervous System: Anatomy, Structure, and Classification regions ( cerebral cortex Cerebral cortex The cerebral cortex is the largest and most developed part of the human brain and CNS. Occupying the upper part of the cranial cavity, the cerebral cortex has 4 lobes and is divided into 2 hemispheres that are joined centrally by the corpus callosum. Cerebral Cortex: Anatomy). Primitive reflexes Primitive Reflexes Primitive reflexes are involuntary motor responses that can be elicited after birth. Although these reflexes are important for survival, they gradually disappear within the 1st year of life due to their inhibition by the developing frontal lobe. Primitive Reflexes can serve a similar function as developmental milestones in early-age infants to screen for the presence of any central nervous system Central nervous system The main information-processing organs of the nervous system, consisting of the brain, spinal cord, and meninges. Nervous System: Anatomy, Structure, and Classification pathology.
• Failure to thrive Failure to Thrive Failure to thrive (FTT), or faltering growth, describes suboptimal weight gain and growth in children. The majority of cases are due to inadequate caloric intake; however, genetic, infectious, and oncological etiologies are also common. Failure to Thrive: a condition seen in children and toddlers. Failure to thrive Failure to Thrive Failure to thrive (FTT), or faltering growth, describes suboptimal weight gain and growth in children. The majority of cases are due to inadequate caloric intake; however, genetic, infectious, and oncological etiologies are also common. Failure to Thrive is defined as weight below the 2nd percentile for age/ gender Gender Gender Dysphoria on more than 1 occasion or weight < 80% ideal weight for age. The condition has psychosocial and organic origins and long-lasting repercussions on the general well-being of the affected child. Failure to thrive Failure to Thrive Failure to thrive (FTT), or faltering growth, describes suboptimal weight gain and growth in children. The majority of cases are due to inadequate caloric intake; however, genetic, infectious, and oncological etiologies are also common. Failure to Thrive is another benchmark that must be assessed along with developmental milestones. 
• Stranger anxiety Anxiety Feelings or emotions of dread, apprehension, and impending disaster but not disabling as with anxiety disorders. Generalized Anxiety Disorder: the fear of being around unfamiliar people. Stranger anxiety Anxiety Feelings or emotions of dread, apprehension, and impending disaster but not disabling as with anxiety disorders. Generalized Anxiety Disorder begins around 6 months of age and is attributed to a child’s developing ability to distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar persons. The child usually cries when they are approached by strangers, even in the presence of a caregiver. Stranger anxiety Anxiety Feelings or emotions of dread, apprehension, and impending disaster but not disabling as with anxiety disorders. Generalized Anxiety Disorder revolves around the age of 2 years. 
• Separation anxiety Anxiety Feelings or emotions of dread, apprehension, and impending disaster but not disabling as with anxiety disorders. Generalized Anxiety Disorder: the anxiety Anxiety Feelings or emotions of dread, apprehension, and impending disaster but not disabling as with anxiety disorders. Generalized Anxiety Disorder that a child develops when they are separated from their parents. Separation anxiety Anxiety Feelings or emotions of dread, apprehension, and impending disaster but not disabling as with anxiety disorders. Generalized Anxiety Disorder is a normal phenomenon that starts around 9 months of age and resolves around 2 years of age when the child develops object permanence. The condition can return at any age during childhood, especially during periods of transition. Separation anxiety Anxiety Feelings or emotions of dread, apprehension, and impending disaster but not disabling as with anxiety disorders. Generalized Anxiety Disorder doesn’t affect development or cause significant distress.