{"id":17964,"date":"2024-09-12T10:00:33","date_gmt":"2024-09-12T08:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/getitmagazine.co.za\/bloemfontein\/?p=17964"},"modified":"2024-09-06T15:28:23","modified_gmt":"2024-09-06T13:28:23","slug":"is-my-baby-reaching-the-correct-milestones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/getitmagazine.co.za\/bloemfontein\/blog\/2024\/09\/12\/is-my-baby-reaching-the-correct-milestones\/","title":{"rendered":"Is my baby reaching the correct milestones?"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3>Dr Shereez Simmons, a dedicated paediatrician born in Bloemfontein, has a profound passion for child development. Graduating from the University of the Free State with an MBChB in 2007 and further qualifying as a Paediatrician in 2015, Dr Shereez specialises in Developmental Paediatrics. She earned\u00a0her certificate in 2021. Her practice at Busamed Bram Fischer Private Hospital focuses on developmental delays, learning disabilities, behavioural problems, and particularly autism spectrum disorder. Her commitment is to ensure the best possible care for her young patients.<\/h3>\n<p>According to Dr Shereez, developmental milestones are key skills children are expected to achieve by certain ages. She emphasises that these milestones provide a framework to monitor a child\u2019s growth in four main areas: gross motor development, fine motor development, speech and language development, and social and personal skills.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDevelopmental milestones are like a checklist of skills children need to acquire at certain age ranges. For example, by four months, a baby should have head control. By nine months, they should sit unsupported. These milestones are crucial, especially in the first five years of life, which we call early childhood development,\u201d says Dr Shereez.<\/p>\n<p>She further notes that it\u2019s important to recognise these milestones early and if a milestone isn\u2019t attained at the right time, early intervention is crucial.<\/p>\n<p>Dr Shereez explains that parents often worry about their child\u2019s development, particularly with gross motor skills in the first two years and speech and language skills thereafter.<\/p>\n<p>She points out that boys are often the subject of delayed intervention due to common reassurances that they will catch up. \u201cIf a child isn\u2019t meeting key milestones, such as not sitting by nine months or not saying five words by 18 months, it\u2019s important to seek professional advice,\u201d she advises.<\/p>\n<p>Dr Shereez stresses the importance of limiting screen time and encouraging active play. \u201cChildren need to play, both indoors and outdoors. Reading to your children also helps them learn new vocabulary and pronunciation. Parents should also engage in active play with their children and talk to them in simple, clear language.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Comparing children can sometimes help identify developmental delays, but it can also cause unnecessary anxiety. \u201cEach child develops at their own pace. However, if parents are concerned, it&#8217;s always best to consult a healthcare professional for guidance. Early intervention can make a significant difference in a child\u2019s development,\u201d she reassures.<\/p>\n<p>Dr Shereez is a valuable resource for parents navigating the complex world of child development, providing expert care and guidance to ensure every child reaches their full potential.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>The fields of development and age limits <\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Gross motor development:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>* Acquisition of tone and head control<\/p>\n<p>* Primitive reflexes disappear<\/p>\n<p>* Sitting<\/p>\n<p>* Locomotor patterns<\/p>\n<p>* Standing, walking, running<\/p>\n<p>* Hopping, jumping, peddling<\/p>\n<p><strong>Limit ages:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Head control by 4 months, sitting unsupported by 9 months, standing independently by 12 months, and walking independently by 18 months.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Vision and fine motor development:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>* Visual alertness, fixing and following<\/p>\n<p>* Voluntary grasping, pincer, points<\/p>\n<p>* Handles objects with both hands, transfers from hand to hand<\/p>\n<p>* Writing, cutting, dressing<\/p>\n<p><strong>Limit ages: <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Fixes and follows visually by 3 months, reaches for objects by 6 months, transfers objects by 9 months, and develops pincer grip by 12 months.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Hearing, speech, and language development:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>* Sound recognition, vocalisation<\/p>\n<p>* Babbling<\/p>\n<p>* Single words, understands simple requests<\/p>\n<p>* Joining words, phrases<\/p>\n<p>* Simple and complex conversation<\/p>\n<p><strong>Limit ages: <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Polysyllabic babble by 7 months, consonant babble by 10 months, saying words with meaning by 18 months, joining words by 2 years, 3-word sentences by 3 years, and fluent speech by 4 years.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Social interaction and personal skills:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>* Smiling, socially responsive<\/p>\n<p>* Separation anxiety<\/p>\n<p>* Self-help skills, feeding, dressing, toileting<\/p>\n<p>* Peer group relationships<\/p>\n<p>* Symbolic play<\/p>\n<p>* Social\/communication behaviour<\/p>\n<p><strong>Limit ages:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Smile by 8 weeks, fear of strangers by 10 months, feeds self or with spoon by 18 months, symbolic play by 2-2.5 years, and interactive play by 3-3.5 years.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Text and photograph: JUSTINE FORTUIN\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dr Shereez Simmons, a dedicated paediatrician born in Bloemfontein, has a profound passion for child development. Graduating from the University of the Free State with an MBChB in 2007 and further qualifying as a Paediatrician in 2015, Dr Shereez specialises in Developmental Paediatrics. She earned\u00a0her certificate in 2021. Her practice at Busamed Bram Fischer Private [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":103,"featured_media":17965,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[7235,7234,3633,7233],"class_list":{"0":"post-17964","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-kids","8":"tag-busamed-bram-fischer-private-hospital","9":"tag-dr-shereez-simmons","10":"tag-get-it-bloemfontein","11":"tag-is-my-baby-reaching-the-correct-milestones"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Is my baby reaching the correct milestones? - Get it Bloemfontein<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/getitmagazine.co.za\/bloemfontein\/blog\/2024\/09\/12\/is-my-baby-reaching-the-correct-milestones\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Is my baby reaching the correct milestones? - Get it Bloemfontein\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Dr Shereez Simmons, a dedicated paediatrician born in Bloemfontein, has a profound passion for child development. 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