Developmental Milestones Updated for the First Time Since 2004

The CDC's (The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Learn the Signs. Act Early. program, funded the American Academy of Pediatrics, revised its checklist of developmental milestones for infants and young children. This is the first update to the checklist since the checklist's release in 2004. 

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Library staff are not in a position to medically advise caregivers on a child's development. However, you may find this checklist informative for your own knowledge, and it is a good resource to have in your tool bag to share with caregivers who ask for help or information. If you provide the CDC checklist as a handout at your library, this is a great time to replace your handouts with the revised checklist. 

The new milestones were developed by a group of 13 developmental experts and pediatricians. According to this article from The Washington Post, with these updates to the checklist, "developmental experts hope to encourage parents to seek interventions earlier instead of waiting until the delays become more obvious." The full article provides valuable insight into why these updates are important for caregivers and for professionals serving caregivers. 

Check out the CDC's Developmental Milestones homepage here, and view the PDF guide here.