Cognitive Development in Infant and Toddlers

Cognitive development in infant and toddlers.

Is my baby normal? Why doesn’t my baby smile? How will it learn to feed?

So on….. These are some common questions which baffle a new mother.

However a newly born baby gradually starts adjusting to its environment by cognition and even before we realise it, they are into the family fold.

Cognitive development begins as soon as a child is born, continues through infancy, early childhood and there after we call it as intellectual development as one approaches adulthood.

Cognitive development is the study of the processes that the human brain uses to perceive the environment and utilize the information it receives to solve problems and develop skills. It is essential for human existence and is exhibited through socio-emotional and motor skills.

Why is it important?

It is important because cognitive development is responsible for motor development. Even a new-born is constantly sensing its environment and is learning to respond to it, either positively or negatively. In fact, psychologists emphasize that infancy and childhood are periods of tremendous cognitive development. So much that these impact an individual’s personality throughout life. Therefore, as parents and caretakers it is important that we be aware of the milestones, in the form social-emotional and motor skills, that a child should attain by a certain stage.

Some indicators of Cognitive development in infant and toddlers.

New born –Sucking and making jerky movements

-Can identify comforting caregivers.

-Gets startled

2 months – Can now hold their head a little

-Suck their fist or few fingers

-Can move arms and legs

– Respond to voices

3 months -When rested on the belly, props up on arms

– Can roll on their sides

-Can follow moving objects

-Start recognising people

-Try to grasp toys

-Smile and play with people

-Eye movements and hand movements are more coordinated now

-Have different types of cries when tired, hungry or sleepy.

5 months –Grasp objects better and also try to touch and grab things

-By now can roll from tummy to back

-Tries to put things into mouth

-Reacts to strangers, objects

-When held can stand with support

7 months -Can roll back and forth on the bed

-Can sit without support

-Starts blabbering syllables mama, baba

-Can stand when held by hand

-Can play peekaboo (hide and seek)

-Can now pick up things with thumb and finger so can hold biscuits and finger foods

-Gets upset when mother is not around.

9 months – Can crawl and pull up to standing position when they get a support

-Puts things into mouth (as this coincides with teething)

1 year -Walks with support

-Can stand without support

-Would now shake, bang and throw things

-Fiddles with things around

-Tries to imitate simple words

-Responds to name

-Can do simple gestures like waving (bye, nodding)

-Throws temper tantrums

Toddler (2-4 years)

1-2 years -Walking, running and jumping

-Drags toys along

-Can now catch things with both hands

-By end of 2 years

-Can hold their sipper, soft toys

-Can now identify objects by name

-Would try to imitate and do things independently like opening taps.

-Remember things told earlier

By the end of 3 years-Language ability develops remarkably and can sing rhymes, indicate objects

-Start questioning, “What’s this” “Why?” “What is he doing” etc.

-Run, climb, catch and throw a big ball

-Can eat with a spoon

By the end of 4 years

– They can say rhymes with actions

-Can open doors

-Operate taps, use crayons

-Jump in a coordinated manner

-Ride a tricycle

-Can tell simple sentences, understand and answer

A word of caution:

Though these milestones are handy markers of a child’s progress, there may vary within a time range. Every child is unique, and comparisons are unfair. However it is important to create a child friendly environment and let the child explore, for eg. sounds like meowing of a cat, birds chirps etc. Children need our time and patience, so, caretakers must talk, play and appreciate the achievements of the little ones.

It is most important for the child to feel loved because this lays the foundation for the making of a well-adjusted, confident adult.