Normal development

Hearing, Vision, Motor skills & Language

Vision:

Vision (0-4 months)

- Eyes may "wander" - inability to focus and coordinate eye movement

○ Not enough muscle coordination to focus vision

- Range of focus is approx. 15-25cm

- Only sensitive to high contrast

○ Can only see black, white and red

Vision (5-8 months)

- Depth perception allows a 3D vision of the world

- Colour development is now well developed

Vision (9-12 months)

- Ability to judge distance is now fairly good

○ Starts to walk around this age

Hearing:

- Develops before vision

- Inner ear is fully developed by the start of the third trimester (in utero)

○ Foetuses respond to sounds

○ Newborns have a preference for their mother’s voice

- Tested by the Evoked Otoacoustic Emission (EOAE) test

○ A tiny microphone picks up "feedback" if hearing is functional, if cochlear hair cells are picking up on the sound and moving (expanding and contracting).

○ Alternatively, by testing their response to a loud noise

- Newborns are sensitive to patterns and organised sound

○ Preferential orientation to speech and music

Gross motor skills:

GMS (1-4 months)

Reflex movements, lifts head when prone, sits with support

GMS (5-9 months)

Sits without support

GMS (5-10 months)

Pulls to standing

GMS (10-17 months)

Stands then walks alone

GMS (18-30 months)

Runs + jumps

Fine motor skills:

FMS (2 months)

Holds object briefly if placed in hand

FMS (3-4 months)

Reaches for dangling object, inspects fingers, moves object towards mouth

FMS (4-5 months)

Holds two objects, transfers objects from hand to hand

FMS (5-6 months)

Bang objects together

FMS (6 months)

Reaches for, grabs and retains objects, manipulates and examines objects

FMS (7-8 months)

Pulls string to obtain object, grasps with thumbs and fingers, “four finger grip”

FMS (8-10 months)

Can grip and release objects

FMS (10-12 months)

“Pincer grip”, can put 3+ objects in a container

Language:

Expressive Language (Speaking) = EL

Receptive Language (Listening) = RL

by 3 months:

EL	Maintains eye contact when spoken to Cries differently for different needs
RL	Shows awareness of a speaker Watches speakers mouth or eyes Quiets or smiles when spoken to

by 6 months

EL	Babbles with p, b and m sounds Vocalises to gain attention and express feelings Uses and produces different sounds
RL	Turns head to follow direction of sounds Listens and responds when spoken to Notices toys that make sounds

by 9 months

EL	Produces 4+ sounds in babbling Participates in vocal turn-taking Begins using hand movements to indicate wants and needs
RL	Consistently responds to their own name Looks at familiar objects and people when named Follows some routine commands

by 12 months

EL	Says 1 or 2 words Imitates speech sounds Speech-like babbling
RL	Understands up to 50 words Responds to simple directions Follows gaze and pointing

by 15 months

EL	May use 4-6 different words Imitates simple familiar sounds and words Combines sounds and gestures
RL	Consistently follows simple directions Maintains attention to pictures Can identify 1-2 body parts when named

by 18 months

EL	Uses 20 words (mostly nouns) Responds to questions Continues to produce “jargon”
RL	Points at familiar people and objects Understands early direction words (in/on) Can respond to yes/no questions by moving their head

by 21 months

EL	Uses words more than gestures Consistently imitates new words Vocab of 20-50 words
RL	Shows awareness of a speaker Watches speakers mouth or eyes Quiets or smiles when spoken to