Developmental observations are discrete descriptions of behaviors or skills that are progressively acquired across development. In this database, each observation has been mapped to one or more milestones derived from four commonly used milestones checklists. While observations themselves are not associated with an age at which they should be met, the ages associated with each milestone are provided.
| Observation | Connected milestones | Expected ages |
|---|
| Briefly looks at objects |
1 |
0
mos.
|
| Calms to caregiver’s voice |
1 |
0
mos.
|
| Can sleep 4-5 hours at night |
1 |
0
mos.
|
| Communicates needs through behaviors |
1 |
0
mos.
|
| Follows face |
4 |
0 – 2
mos.
|
| Has an undifferentiated cry |
1 |
0
mos.
|
| Has periods of wakefulness |
2 |
0
mos.
|
| Is able to suck, swallow, and breathe |
1 |
0
mos.
|
| Is responsive to calming actions when upset |
2 |
0 – 1
mos.
|
| Moves head from side to side while lying on stomach |
2 |
0 – 1
mos.
|
| Moves in response to auditory stimuli |
1 |
0
mos.
|
| Moves in response to visual stimuli |
1 |
0
mos.
|
| Prefers to look faces when presented at close distances |
4 |
0 – 2
mos.
|
| Responsive to parent's touch |
1 |
0
mos.
|
| Responsive to parent's voice |
1 |
0
mos.
|
| Scans surroundings without focus on anything in particular |
1 |
0
mos.
|
| Strong reflex movements (eg. sucks, startles to sound, palmer grasp) |
2 |
0 – 1
mos.
|
| Alerts to sound |
2 |
1 – 2
mos.
|
| Alerts to voice |
2 |
1 – 2
mos.
|
| Avoids bitter or acidic smells |
1 |
1
mos.
|
| Brings hand close to face |
2 |
1
mos.
|
| Chest up in prone position |
4 |
1 – 3
mos.
|
| Chin up in prone position |
1 |
1
mos.
|
| Cries because of distress |
1 |
1
mos.
|
| Dislikes rough or abrupt handling |
1 |
1
mos.
|
| Eyes wander and occasionally cross |
1 |
1
mos.
|
| Focuses 8 to 12 inches (20.3 to 30.4 cm) away |
1 |
1
mos.
|
| Head flops backward if unsupported |
1 |
1
mos.
|
| Hearing is fully mature |
1 |
1
mos.
|
| Keeps hands in tight fists |
2 |
1
mos.
|
| Makes jerky, quivering arm thrusts |
1 |
1
mos.
|
| Makes throaty noises |
2 |
1 – 2
mos.
|
| Preferentially gazes at black/white objects |
2 |
1
mos.
|
| Prefers soft to coarse sensations |
1 |
1
mos.
|
| Prefers sweet smells |
1 |
1
mos.
|
| Reciprocal (social) smile |
3 |
1 – 3
mos.
|
| Recognize some sounds (like parent's voice) |
3 |
1
mos.
|
| Recognizes the scent of mother’s breastmilk |
1 |
1
mos.
|
| Smiles sponatneously |
3 |
1 – 4
mos.
|
| Startles to sound |
1 |
1
mos.
|
| Startles to voice |
1 |
1
mos.
|
| Sucks breast or bottle well |
1 |
1
mos.
|
| Turns head in supine position |
1 |
1
mos.
|
| Turns head toward direction of sound |
4 |
1 – 4
mos.
|
| Acts bored |
2 |
2
mos.
|
| Can briefly calm himself |
2 |
2
mos.
|
| Coos, making vowel like noises |
4 |
2
mos.
|
| Follows large, highly contrasting objects |
2 |
2
mos.
|
| Hands unfisted 50% |
3 |
2 – 3
mos.
|
| Has clear behaviors to indicate needs for food, sleep, play, comforting |
1 |
2
mos.
|
| Head bobs when held in sitting position |
1 |
2
mos.
|
| Holds hands together |
2 |
2 – 5
mos.
|
| Holds head steady, unsupported |
2 |
2 – 4
mos.
|
| Makes smoother movements with arms and legs |
1 |
2
mos.
|
| Opens mouth at sight of bottle |
1 |
2
mos.
|
| Opens mouth at sight of breast |
1 |
2
mos.
|
| Recognize people at distance |
2 |
2 – 4
mos.
|
| Recognizes primary caregiver |
1 |
2
mos.
|
| Retains rattle if placed in hand |
2 |
2 – 4
mos.
|
| Shows diminishing newborn reflexes |
1 |
2
mos.
|
| Shows symmetrical movements of head, arms, and legs |
1 |
2
mos.
|
| Smiles at people |
3 |
2 – 4
mos.
|
| Sometimes cries in different ways to show hunger, pain, or being tired |
2 |
2 – 4
mos.
|
| Supports upper body with arms when lying on stomach |
4 |
2 – 4
mos.
|
| Tries to look at caregiver |
2 |
2
mos.
|
| Visual threat reflex present |
1 |
2
mos.
|