Milestones for Babies and Toddlers-birth to 36 Months-When Should a Baby Start Walking?

Parents and Grandparents watch with eager eyes for the first signs of developmental progression, especially in first-born children. When they reach them early, everyone rejoices, and some even claim that their child is "gifted" or more advanced than other babies, but they sometimes become concerned and burdened with worry when a child doesn't reach a certain milestone, and the worry is often complicated when well-meaning family members and friends alike assert "but your baby should be walking!" Comments like this cause a lot of stress in families, as well as distress in the parents. They think "what's wrong with my baby", and begin to doubt themselves as a parent. Absence of developmental milestones should signal a red flag, shouldn't they? Not necessarily.

Some babies and children actually skip some of these milestones, walking without ever having crawled. Some reach the milestones early, or later than indicated in the many guideline charts available. Some people aren't even aware that there are helpful guidelines-relying on past experience and peer experience to guide them. It's illustrated in most guidelines, and a commonly known "fact" that babies should walk at 12 months of age. What many parents fail to realize is the fact that each child is an individual, and everyone will progress at their own rate, sometimes skipping steps to reach the ultimate goal. This doesn't mean your child is "slow" if he/she isn't walking at 12 months. There is a range that actually is more lenient 9-17 months, as illustrated within the "normal range" areas on the development chart.

Children develop at different rates, the guidelines are not "one size fits all". Variances will occur, depending on the weight of the child, motivation, and other factors. According to March of Dimes guidelines, a child that was born prematurely will be delayed, as the milestone should be adjusted according to the baby's due date, not the actual birth date. Some guideline charts have subtle differences, depending on who is responsible for creating the chart, but they do have one thing in common-variance. BabyCenter.com has a chart that gives different sets of goals and guidelines that are more understandable for parents to utilize.

So when should a parent worry? Sometimes there are valid problems that are identified when a child doesn't meet a developmental milestone, but do remember that what you are looking for is progression. If your baby takes two steps at 14 months, and has taken 3 steps and maybe sometimes taken the chance to attempt 4, it's progress. If a child should suddenly stop progressing, or even appear to lose some skills, it is most prudent to contact his/her pediatrician and discuss these concerns. If your child has not reached a milestone months after the charts indicate, and he/she has missed more than one milestone completely, it is also an area for concern.
Howkidsdevelop.com has a list of warning signs to look for, and information on early intervention regarding developmental delays.

Should there be a time during your child's first 3 years that you become concerned about him/her reaching developmental milestones, contacting your pediatrician should be the first step to addressing your concerns and resolving the issue, if there is an issue, however-if your concerns are not being addressed by your pediatrician a second opinion is recommended. Firstsigns.org also has information on development and delays, and where to turn for assistance. A parent's concerns should never be ignored or disregarded by a practitioner.

Becoming educated about child development can help you in the future to know what to expect from your child, and help guide other parents by giving prudent and educated advice. It's also helpful to understand the warning signs of possible developmental delay, so early intervention is initiated, which can provide an optimal outcome for the child and family. Knowledge is power, but sometimes all a parent needs is reassurance, and the tools widely available to understand the complexities of child development.

You are your child's first line of defense in this ever-changing and competitive world!