1 to 2 Year Olds

When assessing a child between the ages of 12 through 24 I look for the following developmental milestones:

(scaled down for parent understanding and give a general overview). A good reference screening tool I use is Developmental Assessment of Infants and Children, 2^nd Edition.

During feeding time

1. While seated in a high chair does the child keep their lips closed when chewing and swallowing food? Move food around in mouth and swallow without difficulty?
2. Is the child successfully transitioning from soft food to adult food tolerating variety of textures; fruits/vegetables/meat?
3. Does the child self feed finger foods, starting to use a spoon?
4. Is the child taking sips of liquid from a cup, using a sippy cup or straw cup?
5. Is the child engaged during eating showing a variety of facial expressions when presented with different textures of food?
6. Is the child showing signs if independence, trying to eat with a spoon?
7. Is the child able to show you the want more of something or all done?

During playtime

1. Is the child willing to play and shows interest in a variety of toys?
2. Does the child show affection to the parent through eye contact and hugging?
3. Is the child starting to say simple words ie; baba, mama, dada?
4. Is the child labeling simple objects ie; ball, baby, animals?
5. Is the child able to follow a simple command ie; get our shoes? Get your cup?
6. After 18 months is the child saying at least 5 words heading toward 50 words by 24 months?
7. Can the child find objects that are hidden under a blanket?
8. Does the child bring toys to share with an adult, try to get the adult to activate a toy?
9. Is the child able to pick up a crayon and make marks on the paper?
10. Can the child turn pages of a cardboard book? Point at pictures?
11. Can the child stack a few blocks, place a simple shape on a puzzle (circle/square)?
12. Is the child walking? Trying to climb on and off the furniture?

Just a little FYI taken from the American Academy of Pediatrics I find useful

Feeding: This is a very important time to assist in preventing “Picky Eating”

1. Provide three meals a day with two healthy snacks. Snacks should be healthy treats to boost intake not treats.
2. Try to keep a scheduled time for eating, eat meals seated and avoid snacking all day.
3. Continue to provide the same fruits and vegetables that were given as baby food. Start by mashing/boiling/ cutting until the child has teeth and can chew. Then gradually food can be presented in larger sizes when the child has teeth and can chew without difficulty. You can add a larger variety of fruits/vegetables and meats.  Again if the child doesn’t have teeth they cannot chew the food.  It is important to make sure the food is soft and small until then.
4. It is important to know that a new food or texture may take up to 15 times presented before the child will adapt. DO NOT give up if the child makes a face or pushes the food out with their tongue.  This is just the child familiarizing themselves with the food.  It does NOT necessarily mean they don’t like it. (Initially the tongue does not move side to side and it only moves in and out, this could be why they are pushing the food out with their tongue).
5. Transition the child from the bottle to a sippy cup then straw cup. This help with oral motor development.

Sleeping:

1. Child takes a morning and afternoon nap and when headed toward 24 months transitions to one longer nap during the day.
2. Providing the naps in the child’s room is optimal to reduce stimulation
3. Make sure room is dark and quiet I highly recommend 30 minutes chakra cleansing music before nap and bedtime. This can be found on several YouTube channels.
4. At this age it is a good time to start a night time routine to assist the child to know when it is time to sleep for the night. Examples; bath, read a story, start music then lights out.
5. Try to avoid feeding or drinking to close to bed time to limit to possibility of reflux
6. Its important to note as soon as the child gets teeth they need to be brushed before bed

Playtime: See shopping list for complete list of age appropriate toys

1. Provide lots of experiences for walking, running, climbing and holding their hand to go up and down the stairs safely.
2. Provide experiences that include coloring, simple shape boxes, push button toys, placing objects in/out of containers and stacking blocks.
3. Provide experiences that encourage imagination including farm animal toys, trucks, taking care of babies, telephones ect.
4. Provide language experiences by using simple language to identify objects, pictures in a book, people, different animal sounds. Have the child look at your mouth when you are speaking using one word.  Examples; mama, baba, dada, more and all done.
5. Have child follow simple commands like, “get the diaper”, “get our shoes”, “get your cup”.
6. Provide social experiences to assist the child to learn about interacting with others. Hugging, “peek-a-boo”, looking in a mirror, various facial expressions.  It is important to note that we want to make sure a child is maintaining eye contact, engaged with others, interested in others and likes to see other people’s responses.

Things to keep an eye on:

1. Social interaction: a child at this age typically enjoys the company of others. If you notice the child is not maintaining eye contact, plays mostly alone, avoids others, lines up toys excessively during play, stares at spinning objects, appears overly agitated with a change in routine, requires very little sleep or stares at the TV making hand flapping motions, it is recommended that these concerns be brought to the Pediatrician.