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Infant development: What happens from 10 to 12 months?

Promoting your baby's development

Your baby's budding curiosity is bound to keep you on your toes. Keep your baby safe while challenging him or her to learn through play.

  • Create an exploration-safe environment. Keep only safe objects within your baby's reach. Move anything that could be poisonous, pose a choking hazard or break into small pieces. Cover electrical outlets, use stairway gates, and install child locks on doors and cabinets. If you have furniture with sharp edges, remove it from rooms where your baby plays. The same goes for lightweight objects your baby may use to pull himself or herself to a standing position, such as plant stands, decorative tables, potted trees and floor lamps.
  • Snuggle up and read. Set aside time for reading every day — even if it's only a few minutes. At this age, your baby may love books with flaps, textures or simple activities. Make your reading more interesting by adding facial expressions, sound effects and voices for various characters. Store books within easy reach so that your baby can explore them whenever the mood strikes.
  • Keep conversations going. If your baby reaches for a book, ask, "Would you like to read a story?" If he or she points to the cow on the cover, say, "You found the cow! What does a cow say?" Wait for your baby's response and then offer the correct answer. As you're reading the book, get creative. Make up your own stories to fit the pictures. Ask your baby questions about the pictures. Don't limit yourself to "yes" or "no" questions.
  • Encourage repetition. Doing things repeatedly can build self-confidence — and strengthen the connections in your baby's brain. Play patty-cake one more time. Build a new tower after the first one tumbles down. If your baby returns to a page you've just read, read it again with as much excitement as you did the first time.
  • Turn on the tunes. Music can help soothe, entertain and teach your baby. Try calming lullabies, upbeat children's songs, classical music or your own favorites.
  • Help your baby handle his or her feelings. Expect episodes of frustration as your baby struggles to make sense and take control of his or her environment. If your baby throws plastic rings out of frustration, calmly pick up the pieces and say, "I can see you're frustrated. Let's figure it out. The big ring goes here. Now you try." For some babies, learning a few simple words in sign language can be helpful as well. Help your baby make simple motions for common words, such as milk, snack and blanket.
  • Set limits. Babies don't have a sense of right or wrong. Praise your baby for good choices while steering him or her away from hazardous situations. Use a firm "no" when your baby may be hurt or is hurting others. Explain calmly why the behavior is not OK, and then distract your baby with a favorite toy or other activity.

When something's not right

Your baby may reach some developmental milestones ahead of schedule and lag behind a bit on others. This is perfectly normal, and usually no cause for concern. But it's a good idea to be aware of the warning signs.

Consult your baby's doctor if you're concerned about your baby's development or you notice any red flags:

  • No interest in crawling, or consistently dragging one side of the body while crawling
  • Inability to sit or stand, even with help
  • No use of gestures, such as waving or shaking the head
  • No spoken words, such as "mama" or "dada"
  • Lack of interest in his or her surroundings
  • Resistance to making eye contact

Trust your instincts. The earlier a problem is detected, the earlier it can be treated. Then you can look forward to the delights and challenges that lie ahead.

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References
  1. Everyday ways to support your baby's and toddler's early learning. Zero to Three. http://www.zerotothree.org/site/DocServer/early_learning_handout.pdf?docID=3081&AddInterest=1153. Accessed March 6, 2009.
  2. A child becomes a reader: Proven ideas from research for parents. National Institute for Literacy. http://www.nifl.gov/partnershipforreading/publications/pdf/low_res_child_reader_B-K.pdf. Accessed March 6, 2009.
  3. Child development: Infants (0-1 year old). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/child/infants.htm. Accessed March 6, 2009.
  4. Parenting corner Q&A: Developmental milestones. American Academy of Pediatrics. http://www.aap.org/publiced/BK0_DevMile_12Mos.htm. Accessed March 6, 2009.
  5. Development through your child's eyes: 8 to 18 months. Zero to Three. http://www.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_key_childdevt_devt918&AddInterest=1153. Accessed March 6, 2009.
  6. Shelov SP, et al. Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5. 4th ed. New York, N.Y.: Bantam Books; 2004:231.

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June 17, 2009

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