10 Months Old Developmental Milestones

At ten months old, you would have noticed the remarkable changes in your baby, marking a significant period of growth and development. It’s truly fascinating to witness how your little one is evolving from a tiny, dependent infant into a more independent individual with each passing day. Your baby is now not only playing and exploring their surroundings but also becoming more mobile, confidently going around and discovering new things. In addition, they are trying to communicate, often in ways that may surprise you with their depth and clarity. These 10-month-old baby milestones highlight the incredible transformation your baby is undergoing as they continue to develop and refine their skills like a true professional!

10 Months Old Development Milestones Chart

We give you a tabular insight into what you can expect from your little one at this stage.

10-Month-Old Developmental Milestones

Your ten-month-old is enjoying his new-found freedom through an exploration drive. Babies at this stage can crawl, try to stand with support when seated, squat while holding onto something, and navigate through areas holding onto things for support. Some may have even started walking, and for those who have not, will do so soon. Babies can spot things, and their hand-eye coordination helps them grasp objects quickly. They like being engaged in activities that tap into their motor skills, like stacking and arranging things.

Cognitive Milestones

• Develops object permanence and searches for hidden objects: Object permanence is the ability to recognize the existence of an object. At ten months, a baby knows that an object, even if hidden, does exist and will become less anxious when a parent is out of sight. This leads to inquisitiveness, and your baby will start looking for things that are out of his vision.
• Enjoys pictures and images: Open an image-rich book and see your toddler getting immersed in it. He will love listening to stories, and will absorb all the colourful illustrations to process the words, sounds, and sentences.
• Comprehends and associates words with meanings: Your ten month old will know to associate the names of things, and also acknowledge words like “Hi”, No”, “Yes” and “Bye”.
• Mimics and repeats actions: A typical accomplishment is when most ten-month-olds are able to imitate actions. They can form memories of actions and responses to them. You may often find your infant nodding at you to get a response from you.
• Understands requests: At ten months, your baby can understand a request that you make and will respond to it. Ask your baby to hand over something, and he will slide it into your hand.

Physical Milestones

These milestones of a 10-month-old relate to the development of physical traits and gross motor skills.

• Crawls well: Your ten-month-old is now an Olympic-level crawler! He may even make an attempt to walk with support. Watch him explore every nook and corner as he crawls his way to adventure.
• Uses pincer grasp: Your baby will now effectively use the grasp of the index finger and thumb to get a firm hold of small objects. This aids in picking and eating finger foods.
• Mimics and repeats actions: A typical accomplishment most ten-month-olds will be able to imitate actions. They can form memories of action and their response to it. You may often find your infant nodding at you to get a response from you.
• Sits without support and moves forward while standing: With stronger back and abdomen muscles, your baby will sit on his own when he is bored of staying on his tummy. Your baby may make an attempt to walk by putting a foot forward, holding onto something for support. Eventually, he will cruise from one place to another by taking small steps with support.
• Central incisors in place: Two lower incisors erupt at eight months, and the upper ones when they are ten months old. This helps the baby to cut through finger food.
• Increased vision and sense coordination: With developed vision, your baby will be able to identify the distance to any object, and this will eventually improve hand-eye coordination.

Social and Emotional Development Milestones

These 10-month infant milestones display your baby’s social abilities and emotional temperament.

• Waving goodbye: Your ten-month-old will understand the importance of this social gesture, and you may find yourself smiling as you walk out to work. If you are lucky, you could even hear a muffled “bye-bye” from his mouth.
• Anxiety amidst strangers: A ten-month-old will be uncomfortable around strangers, and resists going towards them.
• Separation pains: According to research, babies tend to develop separation anxiety after ten months. They may cling to you or their primary caregiver, and even throw tantrums to make you stay.
• Reactions to situations: Different situations evoke different reactions from your infant. He may seem a little scared when he hears a loud noise, or maybe chirpy at the sight of a singing bird.

Communication Skills

• Babies are excellent mimicry artists at this stage, and will seem to enact all your actions. If you wave your hand, they will wave back.
• Babies listen carefully to the sound of your words and also gauge your reactions. Your baby may cry if you are!
• Ten-month-olds can follow simple commands like waving hands, clapping, or nodding their heads in approval.
• Babies will address their name correctly at this stage, and will even respond to their name.

Sleep Milestones

• At ten months, your baby will generally take a one hour hap during the day.
• Some babies may still take two short naps during the day.
• It is better to have them nap after lunch, to avoid any cranky behavior through the afternoon until bedtime.
• Babies will make up any lost sleep by sleeping for an extra hour or so in the night, or sleep through the night.

Eating Milestones

• Expand your baby’s palate by introducing new foods in the form of solids .
• Offer boiled chunks of carrots, potatoes, and other finger food that can be chewed and cut with their incisors.
• Avoid giving nuts, grapes, or hard food that they may choke on. Offer finger foods to help them use their pincer grasp.
• Encourage them to use the spoon to feed themselves, even if it is a messy affair. You could reserve the last bit of food for them to eat on their own, when their tummies are almost full. This could help them learn to be independent.

When to Worry

Watch out for these delayed signs of development:

• Babies crawl without any difficulty by ten months, and if your infant is not doing so, it may be a cause for concern. Most babies can even stand with support, which is a foundation for walking.
• A ten-month-old may not start speaking, but will make a wide variety of sounds and noises. If your little one is unusually calm, seek medical advice.
• Babies at this age will have their incisors in place, and if they do not, then it indicates a dental issue.
• If your baby fails to recognize the faces he sees on a regular basis, it indicates trouble in vision or cognitive abilities.

Ways to Help Ten-Month Baby Achieve Major Developmental Milestones

Some simple techniques to hone their developmental accomplishments and assist them in achieving more:

• Since they are now on an adventure drive, free up space for them to crawl and strengthen their muscles. Remove any hindrances that could prove to be hazardous.
• Buy your child a walker that will support the baby’s weight. This will encourage him to stand and start taking his first steps.
• Keep talking to your child to help him discern words, phrases, and pick up languages.
• Engage in games and activities that will pique your child’s curiosity. Join a group to garner social interaction.
• Introduce soft finger foods and encourage your baby to pick up and eat them. Eating finger foods are known to help the baby wean easily after he turns one.

FAQs

1. What are some less common signs of developmental progress in a 10-month-old?

In addition to the usual ten month developmental milestones, you might notice your baby starting to show a preference for certain toys, indicating the beginning of decision-making skills. They may also start mimicking your actions more accurately, which is a sign of their growing cognitive abilities.

2. Is it normal for a 10-month-old to have a favorite hand?

While most babies don’t show a clear hand preference until later, some may start to favor one hand around this age. This can be an early sign of handedness, though it’s still too early to determine if they will be right- or left-handed.

A healthy baby at this stage will develop these milestones with proper nutrition and nurturing of skills. Encouragement and affection are key to assist babies in their activities to explore and learn. If you feel there is something amiss, don’t ignore your instinct, and rush to the doctor immediately.

References/Resources:

1. How Often and How Much Should Your Baby Eat?; American Academy of Pediatrics; https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/feeding-nutrition/Pages/How-Often-and-How-Much-Should-Your-Baby-Eat.aspx

2. Data Table of Infant Weight-for-age Charts; CDC; https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/html_charts/wtageinf.htm

3. Important Milestones: Your Child By One Year; CDC; https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/milestones-1yr.html

4. How to Keep Your Sleeping Baby Safe: AAP Policy Explained; American Academy of Pediatrics; https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/sleep/Pages/A-Parents-Guide-to-Safe-Sleep.aspx

5. Your baby’s growth and development — 10 months old; Pregnancy, Birth & Baby; https://www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au/babys-growth-and-development-10-months-old

6. Movement: Babies 8 to 12 Months; American Academy of Pediatrics; https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/Pages/Movement-8-to-12-Months.aspx

7. Communication and Your 8- to 12-Month-Old; Nemours Kids Health; https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/c812m.html

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