Milestones

What are milestones?

Milestones are a big part of our pediatric care here at Eastridge! For our kiddos that have been growing and developing well, we like to see them quarterly for wellness milestone checks. But what does this really mean and what are we looking for?

When we suggest quarterly milestone checks, we like to evaluate how the little ones are growing and developing in accordance with established milestones. There are 4 main types of milestones: physical, cognitive, social-emotional, and communicative. As chiropractors, our main focus is the physical milestones. These can be looked at in terms of gross and fine motor milestones. Here are some examples of each:

Gross: 

• Head control, rolling, sitting, crawling, walking

Fine:

• Grasping, reaching, holding objects, pincer grasp, pointing 

When should they be developing?

But when should your childbe reaching each of these milestones? We don’t expect every kid to develop exactly the same and reach all the milestones at the same time. So, there is a range of when we expect these milestones to be reached. 

• 0-3 months: lifting head, bring arms across midline

• 4-6 months: sitting with support, rolling, bringing hands to feet-feet to mouth 

• 7-9 months: sitting on own, army crawling, crawling

• 10-12: cruising on furniture (walking with support from furniture), pulling to stand

• 12-18: standing, walking, crawling upstairs

What can cause delays?

At these quarterly milestone checks, we make sure that your child is achieving these in the appropriate amount of time. If these milestones aren’t being met at the right time, it would be considered a developmental “delay.” This might sound like a big, scary thing, but it usually means your kid might need some extra help in that specific area! However, there are some conditions that can cause developmental delays that require further evaluation and support, such as involving other clinicians for a holistic approach to care. These are things such as neurological disorders (autism spectrum disorder, down syndrome), premature delivery, or environmental factors. 

What do physical milestones affect down the line?

​According to research, physical milestones are a predictor of cognitive function later in life. This can be things like working memory and processing speed. Research also shows that reaching these motor milestones earlier can have a positive impact on adaptive skills and cognitive function. By reaching these milestones at the proper time, we can help to ensure that your kiddo is set up as best they can be for their future!   

What does a chiropractor do for delayed milestones?

​At Eastridge, we want to make sure that your little one is surpassing all their milestones with ease! By getting your child checked and adjusted quarterly, we are ensuring that they have proper nervous system function. Babies and kids take lots of tumbles and falls while learning these new physical skills. We check to make sure that their joints and muscles are working as best they can be. This will keep your child healthy while they continue to take some falls and learn along the way! We also look at muscular function to make sure one side of their body or a certain muscle isn’t too tight, restricting motion and causing compensations. If we see the need, we will give you ideas for play time, exercises or stretches to work on at home. We want your littles to be moving as best they can be and crushing those milestones as they go! 

Meghan Jeske, DC