Important Baby Growth and Vaccination Milestones in 1st Year of Life
In this Article
Parents are undoubtedly the biggest cheerleaders for their children right from when the little ones are born. Each of the child’s achievements makes parents’ hearts swell with pride, whether it is starting to roll over from the back to the tummy or making a new marking on the height chart. Keeping track of these achievements or milestones is super fun and something every parent looks forward to!
This article aims to discuss the growth and developmental milestones as well as the vaccination schedule for children.
What Are the Important Baby Developmental Milestones & Key Vaccinations to Keep Track of Baby’s Health and Growth?
Milestones are the physical or behavioural checkpoints in children’s development as they grow. These are the key skills infants and toddlers should achieve around a certain age. You can check in on your baby’s growth and development by observing their milestones weekly or monthly. While there are many milestones to be achieved, we have listed here the significant ones that should be achieved by babies in their 1st year of life.
| Age | Motor Milestones | Sensory & Communication Milestones | Vaccination* |
Height & Weight Chart
|
| 6-16 Weeks | · Ability to hold head up · Moves both arms and legs · Pushes up onto elbows/forearms |
· Stares and tracks as you move · Makes sounds other than crying · Reacts to various sounds, smiles and chuckles to get attention |
· IPV · DTP · Rotavirus$ · PCV · Hib · Hepatitis B |
· Boys – 4.4 – 8.6 kg & 54.7 – 67.8 cm
· Girls – 4 – 8.1 kg & 53.2 – 66.8 cm |
| 6 Months | · Starts rolling from tummy to back · Leans on hands to support while sitting |
· Puts things in the mouth to explore · Reaches to grab toys · Closes lips when no more food is needed · Sticks tongue out and blows · Keeps looking in the mirror · Recognizes familiar faces |
· Influenza Vaccine · Typhoid Vaccine |
· Boys – 6.4 – 9.7 kg & 63.6 – 71.6 cm
· Girls – 5.8 – 9.2 kg & 61.5 – 70.0 cm |
| 9 Months | · Starts sitting without support · Moves things from one hand to another · Uses fingers to call for food |
· Looks for objects when dropped out of sight · Starts recognising own name · Shy or fearful amongst strangers |
· Measles, Mumps & Rubella (MMR) Vaccine · Meningococcal Vaccine (A, C, W, Y) # |
· Boys – 7.2 – 10.9 kg & 67.7 – 76.2 cm
· Girls – 6.6 – 10.4 kg & 65.6 – 74.7 cm |
| 1 Year | · Starts walking, holding onto furniture · Drinks from a cup without a lid · Starts picking small bits of food with thumb and pointer finger |
· Uses both hands to explore · Understands positive emotions like hugs and kisses · Understands and responds to words like “no”, “bye-bye” · Starts calling either of the parents |
· Hepatitis A Vaccine · Meningococcal Vaccine (A, C, W, Y) |
· Boys – 7.8 – 11.8 kg & 71.3 – 80.2 cm
· Girls – 7.1 – 11.3 kg & 69.2 – 78.9 cm |
* – Information about Vaccination mentioned above is based on recommendations received from Health Experts. For any further information, please consult your infant’s paediatrician
IPV – Inactivated Polio Vaccine, DTP – Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, PCV – Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine, Hib – Haemophilus influenzae type B
$ – Rotaviral Vaccine is given in 2 or 3 doses, depending upon the vaccine brand
# – Meningococcal Vaccine (A, C, W, Y) can be given as a single dose above 2 years if missed earlier
What Are the Factors That Affect a Child’s Growth and Development?
Many factors influence a child’s growth and development, from environment and family to biology and genes. Understanding these factors will help you understand your child’s growth and development pattern:
1. Heredity
It is one of the most important factors that affect a child’s growth. It is the biological process of transferring physical characteristics from parents to children via genes. It greatly influences many physical aspects of the child, like their weight, height, body structure, eye colour, hair, and even their aptitude skills and intelligence.
2. Gender
The child’s gender is a very common but crucial factor affecting their physical growth and development. The growth pattern of girls differs from that of boys.
3. Hormones
Hormones are secreted from the various glands present in specific body parts and influence many of the body functions. The proper functioning of these hormones plays a significant role in the child’s normal physical growth and development.
4. Environment
The geographical conditions of the place where the child lives, the relationships with other people, and their social environment fall under the environmental factors that significantly impact early childhood development.
5. Nutrition
Nutrition, the most important factor, profoundly influences a child’s healthy growth and development. A balanced diet rich in proteins, vitamins, minerals, fats, and carbohydrates is required to grow appropriately.
6. Vaccinations
Vaccines in the early stage of life protect infants from diseases that may be fatal to them or stunt their growth if left untreated. Vaccinations protect the child from vaccine-preventable diseases that are mentioned above and secure their healthy future.
How to Track Your Baby’s Vaccination Schedule?
Most vaccinations are completed between birth and six years. Certain vaccinations are given more than once, in combinations, and at different ages. It is essential for parents and guardians to keep track of their child’s vaccination. Please consult your paediatrician to know more.
You can check the vaccination schedule for your child and track their upcoming vaccinations on MyVaccinationHub.
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Disclaimer: Issued in public interest by GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Limited. Dr. Annie Besant Road, Worli, Mumbai 400 030, India. Information appearing in this material is for general awareness only. Nothing contained in this material constitutes medical advice. Please consult your doctor for any medical queries, any question or concern you may have regarding your condition. The disease list indicated for vaccination is not complete, please consult your doctor for the complete vaccination schedule. Views/opinions expressed by the doctor are independent and not influenced in any way by any organization.
NP-IN-ABX-OGM-220077, DoP Feb 2023
References:
https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/clinical_charts.htm
https://www.indianpediatrics.net/jan2021/jan-44-53.htm
https://www.who.int/tools/child-growth-standards/standards/weight-for-age
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/nhs-vaccinations-and-when-to-have-them/
