7- 9 months

  • Fine Motor Development

    • Reach: Visually guided reaching and grasping.

    • Transfer: Able to transfer objects from hand to hand.

    • Grasp Evolution: Transitions from a consistent palmar grasp to an ulnar grasp, with a radial grasp emerging by the end of this period.

    • Manipulation: The infant turns and manipulates objects.

    • Hand Preference: There is no true hand preference or dominance at this stage. While an infant may seem to use one hand more than the other, it is not established dominance.

  • Oral Motor Development

    • Stability and Control: Greater proximal (trunk/neck) stability leads to greater distal (lips/cheeks/tongue) control.

    • Feeding: Less liquid loss from a bottle/breast, though drinking from a cup remains difficult and messy.

    • Spoon Feeding: The infant attempts to help; begins to use the upper lip to clear food from the spoon.

    • Play: Ability to keep lips closed during play, though this is dependent on the stability of the physical position.

  • Communication and Social Skills

    • Vocalizations: Cooing, babbling, and imitating sounds. The repertoire of sounds increases.

    • Social Engagement: Uses their voice to engage others in "conversations."

    • Expression of Needs: Uses various sounds (squeals, laughs, grunts, scowls, coos, whines).

    • Games: Shows anticipation for games like Peek-a-boo.

  • Visual Development

    • Visual Control: Achievement of full visual control.

    • Independence: Eye movement becomes independent from head movement.

  • Play Context

    • Sensorimotor Play: Defined as the "work" of children. Exploration occurs through movement.

    • Exploration Concepts: Learning about size, shape, texture, color, space, gravity, cause/effect, and identifying "me" vs. "not me."

    • Midline Play: Hands together in the midline; exploring feet-to-feet and feet-to-mouth.

    • The "Mouth" Phase: Everything is explored by being placed in the mouth (hands, toys, feet).

7-9 Months: General Characteristics and Mobility

  • General Characteristics

    • Hallmark: Constant motion.

    • Sitting: Erect sitting allows for the advancement of hand function.

    • Transitions: Rotary transitions dominate movement. The infant works primarily on pelvic and hip stability.

    • Primary Mobility: Creeping becomes the primary means of moving through the environment.

  • Postural Fixations and Equilibrium Reactions

    • Prone Equilibrium: Emerges at approximately 66 months.

    • Sitting and Supine Equilibrium: Emerges between 77 and 88 months.

    • Quadruped Equilibrium: Emerges at approximately 1010 months.

    • Standing Equilibrium: Emerges at 12+12+ months.

    • Protective Extension in Sitting:

      • Forward: 66 months.

      • Sideways: 88 months.

      • Rearward: 10−1210-12 months.

  • Gross Motor Skills: Positions

    • Supine: Generally avoided by the infant ("yuck") as they prefer more mobile positions.

    • Prone: Preferred for interaction ("yippee").

    • Sidelying: Used as a transition point between positions; excellent for illustrating postural control and motor coordination.

    • Sitting Variations: Refinement of skills leads to a variety of positions: side-sitting, "W" sitting, ring sitting, half-ring, and long sitting. The infant moves both within and outside their Base of Support (BOS).

  • Quadruped and Creeping

    • Assumption: Easily assumed from sidelying.

    • Requirements: Control of the Upper Extremities (UE) and shoulder weight-bearing; trunk extension and abdominal activation; hip control.

    • Weight Shifting: Unilateral weight bearing allows the infant to move limbs while the trunk remains stable.

    • Bear Position: Also known as plantigrade (hands and feet); considered more advanced due to the increased demand on the system.

    • Reciprocal Creeping: Moves with opposite arm and leg simultaneously (present at 88 months).

7-9 Months: Transitions and Standing

  • Transitions

    • Moving in and out of sitting from sidelying, prone, and quadruped positions provides insight into trunk control and strength.

    • Kneeling: The infant can perform high kneeling and low/heel-sitting with support.

  • Standing and Walking

    • Pull to Stand: At 77 months, the infant pulls up primarily using the UEs. By 8−98-9 months, the infant pushes to stand, elevating the trunk using kneeling and half-kneel positions.

    • Getting Down: At 77 months, there is no eccentric control (gravity-assisted drop). By 8−98-9 months, controlled lowering is present.

    • Cruising: Walking sideways while holding onto furniture.

    • Early Ambulation: Walking with one hand held is typical. It involves a "steppage gait pattern" (External Rotation, flexion, and wide abduction). The momentum often comes from the person walking with the child.

    • Hip Pattern Change: By the end of this stage, hip patterns shift toward flexion and slight adduction, promoting better trunk alignment with the Lower Extremities (LE).

  • Fine Motor Development

    • Symmetry: Clapping and banging objects together.

    • Object Release: Releases objects in space; begins dropping things into larger containers.

    • Thumb Use: Beginning to incorporate the thumb for manipulating small objects.

  • Sitting and Development: What other areas of development are positively affected by independent sitting without the use of arms for support?

    • Note: Independent sitting frees the hands for fine motor exploration, improves the visual field for cognitive development, and enhances social engagement through better head and trunk control.

  • Postural Control in Standing: What postural control responses assist with upright abilities at the 4-6 month stage?

    • Note: Early responses include the beginning of equilibrium reactions and the use of the "high guard" position for balance.

  • Anticipatory Guidance (Childproofing): What should families do to make their house safe once an infant is creeping and pulling-to-stand?

    • Note: This stage, approximately 7-9 months, requires securing furniture to walls, covering outlets, and removing small choking hazards as the infant's reach and mobility expand.

  • Bear Position (Plantigrade): Why is the Bear Position considered more advanced than standard quadruped?

    • Note: It requires more significant hamstring length, core strength, and weight-bearing through the heels and palms with a smaller Base of Support (BOS) compared to being on the knees.

  • Stranger Anxiety: How does the emergence of stranger anxiety at 10-12 months impact a healthcare provider?

    • Note: Providers must use strategies like keeping the child on the parent's lap and using toys to build rapport before physical exams.