18.5: Social-Emotional Milestones

Social/Emotional Milestones in Infancy and Toddlerhood

Infants and toddlers are constantly learning about the world as they experience it and actively engage with it during the first three years of life. Milestones represent what most children (75% or more) can do by specific ages. Figure# represents the new and improved milestone charts provided by the CDC in 2022 with substantial evidence-based updates. These milestone charts are meant to prompt surveillance and conversation and, if needed, identification and early intervention. The CDC adopts a proactive stance—we should take action early when developmental concerns arise rather than the perspective of waiting to see if a child “catches up”. While children do develop at individual paces, being proactive during these critical early years is essential (Morgan et al., 2021; Noritz et al., 2013). The chart below lists milestones that, if children are not achieving by specific ages, caregivers should encourage parents to communicate with their family’s pediatrician. Most caregivers are not professionally trained to officially assess the developmental abilities of children; however, caregivers have the ability to track developmental progress and are often the first to notice developmental concerns. Here is a table of social and emotional milestones for infants and toddlers.

 

Social and Emotional Milestone Update Milestones in Infancy and Toddlerhood

Age	What Most Children Can Do By Each Age
2 months	Calm down when spoken to or picked up Look at your face Seem happy to see you when you walk up to them Smile when you talk to or smile at them
4 months	Smile on their own to get your attention Chuckle (not yet a full laugh) when you try to make them laugh Look at you, move, or make sounds to get or keep your attention
6 months	Know familiar people Like to look at themself in a mirror Laugh
9 months	Is shy, clingy, or fearful around strangers  Show several facial expressions, like happy, sad, angry, and surprised Look when you call their name React when you leave (looks, reaches for you, or cries)  Smile or laugh when you play peek-a-boo
12 months	Wave “bye-bye”  Call a parent “mama” or “dada” or another special name Understand “no” (pauses briefly or stops when you say it)
15 months	Copy other children while playing, like taking toys out of a container when another child does Show you an object they like Clap when excited Hug a stuffed doll or another toy Show you affection (hugs, cuddles, or kisses you)
18 months	Move away from you to explore, but looks to make sure you are close by Point to show you something interesting Put their hands out for you to wash them Look at a few pages in a book with you Help you dress them by pushing their arm through the sleeve or lifting up their foot
24 months	Notice when others are hurt or upset, like pausing or looking sad when someone is crying Look at your face to see how to react in a new situation
30 months	Play next to other children and sometimes plays with them  Show you what they can do by saying, “Look at me!”  Follow simple routines when told, like helping to pick up toys when you say, “It’s clean-up time.”
36 months	Calms down within 10 minutes after you leave them, like at a childcare drop off Notice other children and join them to play