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4-6 Month Developmental Milestones

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2-4 Month Developmental Milestones
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6-9 Month Developmental Milestones

Movement and physical development

Normal development

  • Rolls over in both directions (front to back, back to front)
  • Begins to sit without support
  • When standing, supports weight on legs and might bounce
  • Rocks back and forth, sometimes crawling backward before moving forward

Possible challenges from treatment

  • Less chance to learn physical skills due to procedures and treatment
  • Hospital equipment and lack of space can keep baby from moving and exploring normally
  • Slower to learn movements such as rolling over and controlling head and upper body while sitting
  • Slower to learn small movements (especially hand/eye coordination and holding things with thumb and finger)

Ways to help

  • Go to hospital infant playtime, if available, to help baby learn physical skills
  • Ask for floor mat for tummy time and movement
  • Put toys just out of reach to encourage rolling over
  • Give toys with texture to get baby interested in grabbing and moving objects
  • Play peek-a-boo and similar interactive games
 

Language and communication

Normal development

  • Responds to sounds by making sounds
  • Strings vowels together when babbling (“ah,” “eh,” “oh”) and likes taking turns with parents while making sounds
  • Responds to own name
  • Makes sounds to show joy and displeasure
  • Begins to say consonant sounds (jabbering with “m,” “b”)

Possible challenges from treatment

  • Less interest in being social and fewer chances to communicate due to feeling sick and tired
  • Might be slow to respond and develop language

Ways to help

  • Watch for times baby is awake and alert to smile at baby and sing, read, and talk to your baby.
  • Talk about what is happening in the room
  • Repeat the sounds your baby makes

Social and emotional

Normal development

  • Knows familiar faces and begins to know if someone is a stranger
  • Likes to play with others, especially parents
  • Responds to other people’s emotions and often seems happy
  • Likes to look at self in a mirror

Possible challenges from treatment

  • Less interest in play and being social due to feeling sick and tired. Feels stress from hospital lights, sounds, and people.
  • More fussy, irritable, clingy, anxious, and sensitive than normal. Might have sleep problems.

Ways to help

  • Play and pay attention to baby at awake, alert moments. If baby seems stressed, dim lights, swaddle baby, and play quiet music or use a “white noise” machine. Have regular routine and calm surroundings, if possible.
  • Parents and caregivers should take care of themselves to reduce stress. Use the same caregivers as much as possible. Hold baby when meeting new staff to make baby less anxious.
  • Balance playful activities with quiet time.
  • Hold your baby, rock them, and talk quietly or sing lullabies during snuggle time.
  • Pay attention to your baby’s cues; when your baby turns away, he or she may be telling you they need a break from playtime.
 

Thinking and learning

Normal development

  • Looks around at things nearby
  • Brings things to mouth
  • Shows curiosity about things and tries to get things that are out of reach
  • Begins to pass things from one hand to the other

Possible challenges from treatment

  • Mouth exploration is often limited for infection control reasons
  • Mucositis (mouth sores) may also limit oral exploration

Ways to help

  • Try to introduce cause-and-effect toys like a jack in the box
  • Place objects just out of your baby’s reach and verbally encourage your baby as he or she reaches for objects
  • Offer your baby a baby-safe mirror to play with
  • Roll a ball and narrate as your baby turns his or her head to watch it
Previous
2-4 Month Developmental Milestones
Next
6-9 Month Developmental Milestones

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