CDC Milestone Category

Act Early

Milestone Name	Expected Age
Doesn’t respond to loud sounds	2	2
Doesn’t watch things as they move	2	2
Doesn’t smile at people	2	2
Doesn’t bring hands to mouth	2	2
Can’t hold head up when pushing up when on tummy	2	2
Seems very floppy, like a rag doll	6	6
Doesn’t watch things as they move	4	4
Doesn’t smile at people	4	4
Can’t hold head steady	4	4
Doesn’t coo or make sounds	4	4
Doesn’t bring things to mouth	4	4
Doesn’t push down with legs when feet are placed on a hard surface	4	4
Has trouble moving one or both eyes in all directions	4	4
Doesn’t try to get things that are in reach	6	6
Shows no affection for caregivers	6	6
Doesn’t respond to sounds around him	6	6
Has difficulty getting things to mouth	6	6
Doesn’t make vowel sounds (“ah”, “eh”, “oh”)	6	6
Doesn’t roll over in either direction	6	6
Doesn’t laugh or make squealing sounds	6	6
Seems very stiff, with tight muscles	6	6
Doesn’t bear weight on legs with support	9	9
Doesn’t sit with help	9	9
Doesn’t babble (“mama”, “baba”, “dada”)	9	9
Doesn’t play any games involving back-and-forth play	9	9
Doesn’t respond to own name	9	9
Doesn’t seem to recognize familiar people	9	9
Doesn’t look where you point	9	9
Doesn’t transfer toys from one hand to the other	9	9
Doesn’t crawl	12	12
Can’t stand when supported	12	12
Doesn’t search for things that she sees you hide	12	12
Doesn’t say single words like “mama” or “dada”	12	12
Doesn’t learn gestures like waving or shaking head	12	12
Doesn’t point to things	12	12
Loses skills he once had	12	12
Doesn’t point to show things to others	18	18
Can’t walk	18	18
Doesn’t know what familiar things are for	18	18
Doesn’t copy others	18	18
Doesn’t gain new words	18	18
Doesn’t have at least 6 words	18	18
Doesn’t notice or mind when a caregiver leaves or returns	18	18
Loses skills he once had	18	18
Doesn’t use 2-word phrases (for example, “drink milk”)	24	24
Doesn’t know what to do with common things, like a brush, phone, fork, spoon	24	24
Doesn’t copy actions and words	24	24
Doesn’t follow simple instructions	24	24
Doesn’t walk steadily	24	24
Loses skills she once had	24	24
Falls down a lot or has trouble with stairs	36	36
Drools or has very unclear speech	36	36
Can’t work simple toys (such as peg boards, simple puzzles, turning handle)	36	36
Doesn’t speak in sentences	36	36
Doesn’t understand simple instructions	36	36
Doesn’t play pretend or make-believe	36	36
Doesn’t want to play with other children or with toys	36	36
Doesn’t make eye contact	36	36
Loses skills he once had	36	36
Can’t jump in place	48	48
Has trouble scribbling	48	48
Shows no interest in interactive games or make-believe	48	48
Ignores other children or doesn’t respond to people outside the family	48	48
Resists dressing, sleeping, and using the toilet	48	48
Can’t retell a favorite story	48	48
Doesn’t follow 3-part commands	48	48
Doesn’t understand “same” and “different”	48	48
Doesn’t use “me” and “you” correctly	48	48
Speaks unclearly	48	48
Loses skills he once had	48	48
Doesn’t show a wide range of emotions	60	60
Shows extreme behavior (unusually fearful, aggressive, shy or sad)	60	60
Unusually withdrawn and not active	60	60
Is easily distracted, has trouble focusing on one activity for more than 5 minutes	60	60
Doesn’t respond to people, or responds only superficially	60	60
Can’t tell what’s real and what’s make-believe	60	60
Doesn’t play a variety of games and activities	60	60
Can’t give first and last name	60	60
Doesn’t use plurals or past tense properly	60	60
Doesn’t talk about daily activities or experiences	60	60
Doesn’t draw pictures	60	60
Can’t brush teeth, wash and dry hands, or get undressed without help	60	60
Loses skills he once had	60	60