What is a developmental milestone?

A developmental milestone refers to a significant skill or ability that most children can accomplish within a certain age range. These milestones serve as benchmarks to track a child's growth and development across various domains, such as cognitive, motor, social, and emotional skills. For example, many children begin to walk around the age of one or start speaking a few words by the time they are a year and a half old.

Identifying these milestones is important for parents and caregivers, as it helps them understand typical child development patterns and recognize when a child may need additional support or intervention. Developmental milestones are not purely based on averages but are more about expected abilities that generally follow a typical progression, allowing for variations among individual children.