Gross & Fine Motor Development in the First 2 Years
Keeping an eye on your preemie's development can help you determine when a little help might be necessary. To understand preemie developmental milestones we correct for prematurity when considering when "normal" milestones are reached.
It’s amazing how quickly babies grow and develop! The tables below highlight some important general developmental milestones. Although these tables give an average age at which milestones are achieved it is important to realise that even babies born at term achieve these milestones at varying ages. For preemies, you should always correct for their prematurity.
Gross and Fine Motor Development the First 2 Years
Gross motor development refers to the major actions and muscles that help infants move around in the environment, such as crawling, standing, and walking. Fine motor skills, on the other hand, refers to small movements and muscles, such as reaching and grasping. Have a look at the following information for typical development of these skills. You should talk to your paediatrician if you have any concerns about your preemie's development.
| Motor Skill in the First 2 Years |
Average Age Achieved |
Age Range in Which 90 Percent of Infants Achieve the Skill |
| When held upright, holds head erect and steady | 6 weeks | 3 weeks – 4 months |
When on tummy:
|
2 months | 3 weeks – 4 months |
| Rolls from side to back | 2 months | 3 weeks – 5 months |
| Grasps cube | 3 months, 3weeks | 2 – 7 months |
| Rolls from back to side | 4½ months | 2 – 7 months |
| Sits alone While standing with support, accepts entire weight with legs |
7 months | 5 – 9 months |
| Crawls | 7 months | 5 – 11 months |
| Pulls to stand | 8 months | 5 – 12 months |
| Plays pat-a-cake | 9 months, 3 weeks | 7 – 15 months |
| Stands alone | 11 months | 9 -16 months |
| Walks alone | 11 months, 3 weeks | 9 – 17 months |
| Builds tower of two cubes | 13 months, 3 weeks | 10 – 19 months |
| Scribbles vigorously | 14 months | 10 – 21 months |
| Walks up stairs with help | 16 months | 12- 23 months |
| Jumps in place | 23 months, 2 weeks | 17 – 30 months |
| Walks on tiptoe | 25 months | 16 – 30 months |
These milestones represent overall age trends. There are individual differences in the exact age at which each milestone is attained.(Bayley, 1969, 1993; Berk, 2008)
Want More Information?
- You can read about this topic in more detail and learn all about preemies and development from our book: "The Complete Preemie Guide to: Preemie Development." Available Here
- Click here to visit the solutions section of the site Strategies: Recommendations for Behavioral & Cognitive Difficulties
- Extra resources about the NICU can also be purchased here.
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One of the greatest minds in history, Albert Einstein was born preterm.
