Developmental "Code Card"

*="red flag"; if not present evaluate further

KEY: M: motor (fine and gross), S: social/emotional, C: cognitive, L: language, B: book use, P: parenting

2 Weeks

M: stares at face and tracks 90° horizontally
M: turns to voice
M: symmetrical movements
P: normal increase in crying, peaks at 6 weeks

2 Months

M: lifts head in prone
S: smiles in response to social overtures
L: "listens" & responds when speaker quiet
P: impossible to "spoil" infant by picking up when cries

4 Months

M: pull-to-sit, without head lag; holds rattle, lets go
S: regards stranger with interest/pleasure
C: stares at own hands; crumples paper joyfully
L: recognizes sounds (e.g. excited by parents voices)
P: put to bed while still drowsy (do not rock to sleep)

6 Months

M: raking grasp, passes cube hand to hand
C: looks after fallen object
L: babbles
B: excited by picture book, tries to touch, grab, mouth
P: routines important, e.g. bedtime story; sleep and separation problems often appear around 9 months

9 Months

M: thumb-finger or pincer grasp; grabs crayon efficiently
M: sits stably
C: inspects object, then mouths; bangs cubes
S: plays peek-a-book, pat-a-cake
B: ask "where" questions, then point, "There it is!"
P: avoid feeding battles: give child spoon, finger foods

12 Months

M: first steps
S: consolable; explores office from safety of parent's lap
C: looks for hidden object (object constancy)
L: first word (not mama/dada); jargoning
B: holds book with help, turns pages several at a time
P: importance of temperament, e.g. activity, intensity

15 Months

M: walks well
S: "reads" parent's expression to see if safe to explore
C: in play, uses objects correctly (e.g. "drives" the car)
L: follows single-step command without gesture
L: has at least one single word
B: mobile child may not sit long for story
P: discipline teaching; praise; choices reduce power struggles

18 Months

M: walks up steps, walks backwards
C: works wind-up toys, on-off buttons (cause/effect)
L: 6 words, not echolalic; indicates desired objects with index finger (not whole hand) ("proto linguistic labeling")
B: points to pacts in book; book interaction joyful
P: uses "feeling words" (sad, happy, scared)

24 Months

M: walks backwards
C: in play, one thing stands for another (substitution)
S: may be clingy
L: 2 word phrases; points to at least one body part
B: carries book around house, "reads" to dolls;
P: pick "battles" carefully to minimize power struggles

30 Months (2 Years)

M: up and down steps independently
M: copies circle
C: combines play actions (rocks doll and puts to bed)
S: dresses self mostly, with supervision
S: average age for daytime dryness
L: names several body parts, follows 2 prepositional commands with block (behind under, next to, in front)

3 Years

M: jumps, both feet off floor; mature crayon grasp
C: plays out familiar events, and changes outcomes
S: separates more easily; average age dry at night
L: 3-4 word sentences
L: gives full name, knows "cold," "tired," and "hungry"
B: holds book without help; gives simple actions; sits for 5 minute story or longer; likes rhymes, nonsense words

4 Years

M: balances on 1 foot for 4-5 seconds
M/C: copies something; 3-part (or more) draw-a-person
C: in play, talks for doll, assigns roles to other children
S: understands taking turns; uses words, not hitting
L: sentences, mostly correct grammar; asks questions
B: turns pages one at a time; retells familiar story; pretends to read & write (e.g. horizontal scribbles), ("writes" own name); makes up "tall tales"

5 Years

M: balances on one foot for 5-10 seconds
M: copies dashed circle, perhaps triangle
S: plays well with group of children: dresses, with little help
C: plays out imaginary scripts (e.g. space voyage)
C: "If I cut an apple in half, how many pieces will I have?", "What do you do to make water boil?", "Candy and ice cream are both good to _____"
L: correct use of "me", "I", past tense and plurals
B: parent asks "What will happen next;" 10-20 min stories

6 Years

M: walks backward, heel-to-toe; begins sports, dance
M: copies diamond
S: rule-based games; "best" friend
C: "how are a plum and a peach alike?"; "Why do we wear shoes?"; repeats 4 digit string; counts 5 items; simple math (1+3)
L: fluency; names 4-5 things to eat (or wear) in 20 seconds
L: knows names of most letters, recognizes a few words
B: read aloud books more difficult (and interesting) than child's reading level (e.g. chapter books); library card