Which developmental milestones would the nurse expect in a 9 month old infant?

In this article, we discuss normal growth and development milestones for infants. These include gross motor milestones, fine motor milestones, and cognitive and psychosocial milestones.

The Pediatric Nursing series follows along with our Pediatric Nursing Flashcards, which are intended to help nurses and nursing students learn and retain information about caring for pediatric patients. The flashcards are a clear, complete study tool and a helpful reference for practicing RNs, PNs, and other medical professionals.

Infant gross motor milestones

Gross motor milestones means big body movements, typically, the larger muscles. These are the expected gross motor milestones infants normally achieve, from birth to one-year of age:

• Birth – 1 mo. The child may lift their head briefly when prone (lying on their stomach), but they will have a “head lag,” which means the infant does not have good control of their head or neck. For example, if an infant is on their back and they pull up with their hands, their head is not going to come up as easily.
• 2 – 4 mos. The infant can turn from their back onto their side, and from their side to their back. Also, when prone, the infant can hold their head up and support their weight on their arms. By four months, the infant should have head control (and no longer lag when raising their body up).
• 4 – 6 mos. By age 4 months, the infant can turn from their front to their back; and by 6 months, they can turn from their back to their front. It usually takes a little longer to develop the muscles that allow them to rotate from their back to their tummy.
• 6 – 8 mos. One of the biggest milestones is when a child is able to sit unsupported. This usually occurs by 8 months of age. An infant will start trying at around 6 or 7 months, but by the eighth month, they should be able to sit up unsupported. It’s a big milestone because now they can sit up and see the world around them. Now they will start to play with toys and other things within reach.
• 8 – 10 mos. The infant begins to move. They crawl or creep, which is when they “walk” by holding on to furniture, like a coffee table. By 10 months, the infant should be able to pull up to a standing or sitting position.
• 10 – 12 mos. Between 10 and 12 months, the infant should be able to stand alone and sit down from standing. And they will continue to creep, holding onto furniture as they “walk” about.

Infant fine motor milestones

Fine motor skills are actions and movements that engage the small muscles, the fingers, for instance. These are the expected fine motor milestones infants normally achieve, from birth to one-year of age:

• Birth – 1 mo. The infant will hold their hand in a fist, sometimes a very tight fist!
• 2 – 4 mos. The infant should be able to hold a rattle or similar simple toy when it is placed in their hands.
• 4 – 6 mos. The infant will reach for and pick up small objects. They will also begin to hold a bottle.
• 6 – 8 mos. At this stage, the infant should be able to transfer objects from one hand to the other. This takes a lot of coordination, as it works the left and right sides of the brain.
• 8 – 10 mos. By now, the infant should be able to pick up small objects using what is called the pincer grasp. For example, intently picking up a single Cheerio and putting it in their mouth. Again, this takes a lot of skill and coordination to achieve a relatively small set of movements.
• 10 – 12 mos. At this stage, the infant should be able to place objects into containers through holes. They will also attempt to build a two-cube tower. Note that they will likely not be successful, but that is part of the development process. The key thing is that they attempt to put one cube on top of the other.

Infant cognitive development — sensorimotor stage

The sensorimotor stage is when infants are exploring their world through their senses. This is the time when they are most likely to put all sorts of things in their mouths, which means they are at .

In terms of a child’s cognitive development, among the expected milestones for infants from birth to one-year of age are their beginning to understand language, as well as experiencing anxiety when interacting with strangers or being left alone.

Language development in infants

By 9 months, the child will understand what the word “no” means.

At 10 months, they will be able to combine syllables, for example, saying things like “dada” or “mama.”

Within a year, the child will be able to string three to five words together when they talk. These words will have discernible meaning, though the infant might not articulate them with clarity. Essentially, the parent will understand the words the child uses, even when the word is “made up” or used uniquely by the child. For example, a pacifier goes “pop” when removed from an infant's mouth, so if the parent says “pop” each time the pacifier is removed, the child may call their pacifier a “pop.”

Normal behaviors in infants

Starting at about 6 months old, infants begin to exhibit certain behaviors, often related to familiarity with the people around them.

Stranger anxiety

An infant usually displays stranger anxiety when they are held by an unfamiliar person. They don’t recognize that person, so it causes stress. In this instance, an infant will often start to cry.

Separation anxiety

Separation anxiety is when the infant shows signs of distress when the parents aren’t present. If a parent places their child in a room and then leaves the room (e.g., to go to the bathroom), the child will start to cry or whimper; they will appear distressed.

Infant psychosocial development — trust vs. mistrust

This milestone, trust versus mistrust, relates to . At this early stage, the child is reassured by things it can trust. For example, when they cry, does somebody come? When they have a need, is that need met? Fulfilling the child’s needs at this stage builds trust.

Age-appropriate play for infants

How we play with others is part of our psychosocial development, so play is extremely important in children. How a child plays is a strong indicator both of their development and their health.

Solitary play

Solitary play is when infants play by themselves. This is normal behavior.

Interactive play with an infant

Interactive play includes things like playing “pat-a-cake” or “peek-a-boo” with a baby. Interaction includes talking to an infant as if they were an adult, for example, “Mommy's going to go make coffee right now.” It includes adults narrating what they’re doing, singing, and reading books to the child.

Playing with toys

Infants love playing with toys, like rattles. They like colorful picture board books, balls, and blocks. And the more contrast, the better, as the infant begins to understand the world around them.

Which developmental milestones would the nurse expect in a 9 month old infant quizlet?

Which developmental milestone would an infant begin to demonstrate at the age of 7 to 9 months quizlet?

Which milestone would the nurse expect an infant to accomplish by 8 months of age?

When assessing an 11 month old which of the following developmental milestone achievements would the nurse expect to find as being the most recently achieved *?