19 Months Old Baby Growth and Development

Your toddler is 19-months-old! You’re amazed by your little one’s development. At 19 months of age, he is walking and running, and climbing on different surfaces. He recognizes his family members and other people who sees on a regular basis, and knows a lot of words now. He knows by now that he has a will and tries to exercise his independence whenever he gets a chance. He could be easily smitten by a new toy, and just as well disregard it for another new toy. Short attention span is the defining feature of toddlers at this age.

Video: Your 19 Month Old Baby’s Growth and Development

Your baby’s sense of humour will also start developing now. He is likely to understand your funny side when you sing a silly song or make a funny face. But his tantrums will be no less. Let us take a look at the developmental milestones of a 19-month-old baby.

A 19-month-old Toddler’s Development

At 19 months of age, your child will be able to do a number of activities and understand much more about the world around him. He will be able to understand more words than he can speak, and should also be able to use a spoon and a fork to feed himself.

In many cases, the child will also be able to notice when something is wrong in his surroundings. For example, if his doll has lost an eye or an ear, he may notice it. Many of his decisions will be made by himself, and in terms of movement, he will be able to run without support.

Depending upon the speed of growth of your child, he might be able to do much more. He may be able to wash and dry his hands, and also let you know when he wants to use the washroom. Using the words he knows, he may also be able to point out the items he sees in books.

Let us take a detailed look at how far your child may have progressed in various aspects of his growth.

Physical Development

Let’s see what all milestones your 19-month-old toddler will have achieved 19 months of age.

• He will be able to run unaided and move in different directions. He might be able to walk backwards, sideways and even climb stairs on his own.
• His running will be more enthusiastic than graceful, and he may fall while galloping.
• Even though he can run, he does not have complete control over his movements. Gauging distances accurately will come eventually, but not now, so he will not be able to apply the brake to avoid collisions in most cases.

Considering this situation, it is important to ensure that your child has a safe space for him to run or walk fast. You have to pad the edges of the coffee tables and low furniture to ensure he does not hurt himself. Fireplaces and other edges should also be covered well. Gates near stairs can also ensure that your baby does not fall down the stairs due to over-enthusiasm.

• Your 19-month-old toddler’s weight gain won’t be as quick as it was in the first year.
• At this age, his gripping skills will also have developed considerably. He will be able to grip and even dump the contents of a container and have enough dexterity to stack block one over the other.
• You can encourage him to use his fingers more by buying the appropriate toys for him, which can improve his dexterity.

Social and Emotional Development

In terms of emotional growth, your baby will have grown by leaps and bounds in the leading months. The most important thing to notice about his behaviour is his desire to help you.

• He is sure to offer help whenever he sees you doing something. He would have learnt a lot about these activities by watching you keenly for a few months and is sure to try to imitate you in the activity.
• If he sees you fold your clothes or wash the car, he may ask you to let him be a part of it.
• His enthusiasm for the activity will be considerably more than his ability to do the task, even then, you should find a way to make him feel involved so as to make him happy.

Try to get him involved in chores, as you might as well indulge him when he is willing to help you. You can make him do simple, harmless activities, like putting him in charge of cleaning the tires or even holding the hose while washing the car.

• Even though his desire to be the centre of attention will have waned over the months, it will resurface now and then.
• Do not scold him when he craves your attention, as it may discourage him in the future.
• This situation becomes harder for your child if you are expecting another baby. Therefore, there are a few things that you can do in order to prepare him for the arrival of his sibling.
• Make him fold the clothes of the baby, and show him images of his items and tell him that ‘his’ baby will need them soon. You can even get him a special doll so that he gets accustomed to loving a child.

Cognitive and Language Development

Let’s look at the cognitive and language development of a 19-month-old toddler.

• Your child might have a vocabulary of anywhere between ten and fifty words.
• He might be able to construct simple phrases, using his understanding of verbs. Using pronouns, he will be able to get his idea across for you to understand.
• Exploring is also an important part of his learning process, and he will try to understand and perceive the shapes and other physical features of the various items around him. A sorting box in which he is supposed to place the right objects in the right spaces will make a great toy for him.

In order to help him develop further, you can point out various images on his books and describe them to him using simple phrases and words. Also, try to make him understand the words for colours.

Behaviour

At this age, your child will be trying to be more independent and self-sufficient. Therefore, he will not respond well to any commands that you make. Instead, you can try to compromise for a more amicable response. Explain to him what you want, and make him understand what kind of behaviour is not acceptable.

Do not be harsh with your child, and understand that he is still developing. Ensure that you do not come across as angry to your child, even when you are trying to discipline him. Make him feel loved and accepted no matter what.

Food and Nutrition

In this age, your child is suspicious of anything that he comes across, so if you want him to try new food items, make sure that he sees it for a few times before he is made to eat it. Since children have a short attention span at this age, they will be sure to lose interest in eating within half an hour. Therefore, limit meal times to 20 minutes and time to consume light snacks to around ten minutes.

If your baby is still breastfeeding extensively, he might not have much appetite at meal times and may not even be getting adequate amounts of minerals like iron. So consult with the doctor regarding your 19-month-old baby’s diet, so that he grows up healthily.

Sleeping

Ensure that your child gets around 12 to 14 hours of sleep a day, as most of the growth occurs when he is sleeping. His sleep schedule should not be erratic. Ensure that he has safe sleeping space, and consult with the doctor if there are any persistent disruptions in his sleep schedule.

Potty Training Readiness

You will notice that your child will get uncomfortable if he soils his diaper and will you know about it. This means that he is growing uncomfortable with the whole diaper arrangement, so you can start potty training him at this age. Remember to handle this process with care and encouragement, though.

Play and Activities

There are a few 19-month-old baby activities which can be carried out in order to develop his skills further. Some of these are given below.

• From the time he wakes up, keep him busy with activities that can help him develop. Simple thoughtful toys like shape boxes and kitchen sets can keep him engaged for a long time, while also developing his cognitive and mental abilities.
• Always keep an eye on him, as he is surely up to some mischief if you do not hear noises in a long time.
• Encourage him to complete his sentences- you can point at an image on the book and say a sentence, and pause at the end so that he completes it with a pertaining word.

Tips for Parents

• Ensure that your child is never constipated by providing plenty of fluids and fibre in his diet.
• You can give him a tricycle or a walker to move around, as the physical activity will help him coordinate his leg muscles but also increases his appetite.
• Give him age-appropriate toys, as he still might have the habit of chewing or biting whatever he gets.
• Baby-proof your child’s surroundings to prevent activities.

Consult a Doctor If

Your baby is sure to be extremely active in this stage, so accidents are plausible. If you come across anything larger than a small cut or a bruise, or see your baby crying for long periods for no perceivable reason, take him to a doctor. Remember to trust your motherly instincts. It is always better to be safe than sorry, so give the doctor a visit just to be sure even if you have the slightest doubt.

This age is characterised by the extremes, as your child will try to be more independent even though he requires a lot of your attention. Always keep an eye on him, as you cannot be sure of what he is up to. The first memories of your child could be formed at this age, so make sure to indulge in a lot of humour and click a lot of pictures with your baby!

Also Read: How To Develop Social Skills In Children