CHENANGO COUNTY – The early years of a child's life are very important. During the infant and toddler years, children grow quickly and have so much to learn. They learn more in the first three years than at any other period in their lives. Although children learn and develop differently and these differences usually even out, some children do fall behind and will need extra help. The following checklist can help you look for signs that your infant or toddler may need extra help.

At three months of age, most babies:
•Turn their head toward bright colors and lights
• Move both eyes in the same direction at one time
• Recognize bottle or breast
• Make cooing sounds
• Bring their hands together
• Wiggle and kick their arms and legs
• Lift their head while lying on their stomach
• React to sounds and voices
• Smile

At six months of age, most babies:
• Follow moving objects with their eyes
• Turn toward the source of normal sound
• Reach for objects and pick them up
• Switch toys from one hand to the other
• Play with their toes
• Help hold the bottle during feeding
• Recognize familiar faces
• Imitate speech sounds
• Respond to soft sounds, especially talking
• Roll over

At 12 months of age, most babies:
• Get to a sitting position
• Pull to a standing position
• Stand briefly without support
• Crawl
• Imitate adults using a cup or telephone
• Play peek-a-boo and patty-cake
• Wave bye-bye
• Put objects in a container
• Say at least one word
• Make “ma-ma” or “da-da” sounds

At 18 months of age, most children:
• Like to push and pull objects
• Say at least 6 words
• Follow simple directions (“bring the ball”)
• Pull off their socks, shoes and mittens
• Can point to a picture that you name in a book
• Feed themselves
• Make marks on paper with crayons
• Walk without help
• Walk backwards
• Point, make sounds or try to use words to ask for things
• Say “no”, shake their head or push away things they don’t want

At 24 months of age, most children:
• Use two or three word sentences
• Say about 50 words
• Recognize familiar pictures
• Kick a ball forward
• Feed themselves with a spoon
• Demand a lot of your attention
• Turn 2-3 pages at a time
• Like to imitate their parents
• Identify hair, eyes, ears and nose by pointing
• Build a tower of four blocks
• Show affection

If you have concerns about your child’s development, the earlier you get help the better. The Early Intervention Program is a statewide program that offers a variety of therapeutic and support services to eligible infants and toddlers, birth to age three, with developmental delays and disabilities and their families. Child Find is a component of the Early Intervention Program that ensures tracking and developmental screening of children, birth to age three, with a medical, social or environmental risk factor for a developmental delay. Any parent that has a concern about their child’s development can make a referral to the Early Intervention Program or Child Find to learn more and to find out whether their child may be eligible. The program is voluntary and at no cost to the family.
For more information about the Early Intervention and Child Find Program in Chenango County contact Chenango County Public Health, Division for Children with Special Needs at 337-1729 or talk to your child’s Primary Care Provider about your concerns.

Submitted by Carrie Sullivan
Early Intervention Service Coordinator
Chenango County Public Health Office