The Development of Motor Control, Cognition & Social Behavior Across the first 3 years of Life

 

Developmental Age Motor Control Cognition Social Behavior
6 weeks

 

 

 

Behavior: Lifts Head 45 degrees, Lifts head 45 degrees, Increasing extension at rest, Predominantly asymmetrical movements, total head lag in pull-to-sit decreases, Inserts hand in mouth and sucks, hands open, suck-swallow reflex, phasic bite reflex, rooting, suckling pattern, bottle/ bread-fed, vigorous suck, and coordinates suck, swallow, and respiration Behavior: cries, coos, vocalizes when not crying, chuckles Behavior: cries to communicate, calms to human face and voice, visual tracking (not across midline)
3 months

 

 

 

 

 

 

Behavior: Asymmetric Tonic Neck Reflex, Tonic Labyrinthine, Labyrinthine Righting, Palmer Grasp Reflex, Upper Extremity Traction, Lifts Head 90 degrees, Lifts head in prone, Increasing Extension at rest, Predominantly Asymmetric movements, Total head lag in pull-to-sit decreases, Hands closed most of the time with spontaneous opening, hands swipe at mouth, grasps object placed in palm briefly, suck-swallow reflex, phasic bite reflex, rooting, suckling pattern, bottle/ bread-fed, vigorous suck, and coordinates suck, swallow, and respiration Behavior: cries, coos, vocalizes when not crying, chuckles Behavior: cries to communicate, calms to human face and voice, visual tracking across midline 180 degrees, first smile
6 months

 

 

 

 

Integration of ATNR, TLR, Palmar Grasp, stepping, supporting, rooting reaction, phasic bite reflex

 

Appears: Body-on-body righting, rotary neck righting, protective extension downward and forward, prone equilibrium

 

Behavior: Hands are closed at rest less of the time, hands to midline in play, grasps objects placed in palm, first spoon feeding, disassociation of lips tongue, jaw begins with true sucking

Behavior: secondary circular reactions (infant acts on environment to prolong interesting experiences), disyllabic utterances, increase in sounds produced Behavior: early play, infant shows delight, laughs, and chuckles
12-15 months

 

 

 

 

 

 

Appears: Equilibrium quadruped, standing, diagonal and rotary jaw movement

 

Behavior: walks with one or two hands held, Walks independently, inferior pincer grasp, pincer pad to pad grasp, superior pincer tip to tip grasp, and Appearance of diagonal and rotary jaw movement

Behavior: first word is spoken and babbles sound more like sounds, object permanence is more secure, and more sophisticated means-end relationships Behavior: shows an attachment style, and stranger anxiety
30 months

 

 

 

 

 

Walks, can balance on one foot for a couple seconds, can put on an article of clothing, able to kick a ball, and hands are no longer used to getting on or off the floor Abilities: follow two-step commands, follow instructions without demonstration, putting words together in simple sentences Plays with other children and begins to establish rapport, identifies friends, and has become very curious about the world around them

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