For young parents in the first years of a baby’s life, the question of what time children start talking becomes relevant. Often parents do not understand the intricacies of the physiological and mental development of children, so they begin to ring all the bells when the baby is in no hurry to talk. It is important to note that all children develop individually: some begin to walk early, some start teething earlier than usual, and others begin to talk late. There is no need to put all children under the same brush, and certainly no need to worry if the neighbor’s girl does something better than your child.
A talking baby is a joy for parents. Doctors and psychologists identify certain periods when a child should speak. If this does not happen, it is enough to simply consult a doctor and keep this issue under control. Let's take a detailed look at the opinions of experts about what age children should pronounce their first words and what may be associated with speech delay.
At what months do babies take their first steps?
At what time a child begins to take his first steps depends on his individual characteristics.
Some children, who are more active and mobile, begin to get up at 5-6 months, and at 7 months they take their first steps on the crib, holding on to the side, and a little later they can walk independently.
Others, even at 13-15 months, do not dare to walk without support.
Most often, babies master the skill of walking independently between the ages of 9 and 16 months. This largely depends on the baby’s temperament, his constitution, and developmental characteristics.
A premature baby, as a rule, begins to walk somewhat later than his peers.
According to statistics, girls take their first steps earlier than boys.
The long-awaited moment came and the child took his first independent steps. The gait of a baby is very different from that of an adult.
He spreads his legs wide, places his feet parallel to each other.
When walking, the child’s foot does not roll from heel to toe, but becomes completely straight at once, so the baby “stomps.”
The baby's center of gravity is shifted, so his position when walking is not yet stable, and he often falls. Over time, the child will learn to walk correctly and confidently.
Late feeding
By the age of 6 months, mother's milk only satisfies the need for protein by 60%, carbohydrates by 70% and fats by 80%. And the supply of vitamins and minerals does not satisfy even a third of what is needed. Therefore, delayed introduction of complementary foods can lead not only to delayed growth and development, but also to the appearance of deficiency conditions such as anemia and rickets. Another common problem with late initiation of complementary feeding is a delay in the development of swallowing skills for denser foods and poor stimulation of the development of taste and olfactory sensations. Such children subsequently prefer liquid and pureed foods, and also show selectivity in food preferences.
If your baby starts walking early, should you be happy?
Parents whose child reaches 9 months are often very proud that their baby is ahead of his peers. Is it really that good?
If a mobile and active child, without any help, stood up and began to walk at 7-8 months, then he is already ready for this. But you shouldn’t let him stay in this position for a long time.
Walking so early can have a negative impact on the baby’s fragile spine and leg bones and cause them to bend.
Moreover, there should be no actions on the part of parents aimed at making the child go so early. Gymnastics, massage, exercises with the child are important, but must be appropriate to the child’s age.
It is better to direct the baby’s efforts to master crawling; at this stage it is more beneficial for health.
Typically, your baby will start walking after he or she has learned to crawl well, and if this skill is delayed, your baby will likely walk a little later. Do you want to know how to teach a child to crawl on all fours? Read our new material.
How to help a child talk?
It often depends on the parents themselves at what age the child will be able to talk. In order for a child to quickly learn to pronounce simple words and then be able to compose coherent sentences from them, mom and dad need to follow a few simple recommendations (for detailed information, see the article on how to teach a child to talk).
If parents constantly talk to their baby, then the likelihood that the baby will start talking earlier increases significantly. Doctors and psychologists advise constantly talking with your children, regardless of their age. The mother can tell the baby what she is doing, what is happening around, what she sees. Despite the fact that my mother’s speech will resemble the expression - what I see is what I sing. From the first months, the child should hear speech; at first he will only listen, but soon he will begin to imitate adults.
Some parents try to replace their conversation with their child with a TV monologue. In this case, there is no need to wait for a positive effect, since this is incomparable with live communication.
Parents are also advised to pay due attention to the development of fine motor skills. Scientists have proven that improving hand and finger movements is directly related to the development of the part of the brain that is responsible for speech activity. The mother can offer the baby to string beads, finger paint (telling what color the paint is), sort out the cereal, or give him a hand massage. It's both entertaining and useful.
It is advisable to often read rhyming poems to the child or poems, the ending of which must be said by the child himself. The mother should constantly encourage the child to name the objects that surround him and clearly pronounce sounds. Many parents love to “babble” with their baby and do not notice how they incorrectly name certain things. You need to control your speech and teach your child correct pronunciation.
Mom and dad should leave all negative emotions and experiences at the door. The time that parents spend with their baby should be relaxed and calm. You need to communicate with each other without shouting or swearing. The child feels the anxiety and negativity of his parents, so he can withdraw into himself.
If the baby starts walking late
If a child does not start walking before one year, then parents begin to worry about this.
However, doctors say that if up to 1.3 years the baby cannot walk on his own, but stands up, crawls, and walks with support, then there is no need to worry.
If a child starts walking late, this does not mean that he is behind in development, and that he will speak later than others and will continue to lag behind in everything. He has his own pace of development and these skills are not related.
Perhaps he will speak before other children.
If the process of mastering independent walking has dragged on much longer than normal, then it is worth consulting with a specialist.
Parental help - exercises and massage
How can parents help their child learn to walk? First of all, create conditions for mastering the skill:
- The child needs space to move around.
If the baby is in the playpen all the time, then he has little opportunity to move. - Get the child interested.
- The surface on which the baby walks should not be slippery and not too hard so that he does not get hit too hard when he falls.
- Ensure child safety
- Buy comfortable shoes for your baby.
- Carry out exercises with your child to strengthen muscles : bending and extending the legs, squats and pull-ups, exercises on a phytoball and swimming.
- A special massage will help the child relieve muscle tension and strengthen them.
You can place your baby’s toys at such a level that he has to stand up and get them, move from support to support.
Give your child a stable toy to play with so that he feels more confident.
For example, you should not start walking on tiles; carpet is more preferable. Or walk outside on the ground, grass, and not on asphalt.
Was your baby already walking at 1 year old?
Not really
Remove dangerous objects from the baby’s reach: household chemicals, hot, heavy objects, medicines, sharp corners, electrical appliances and wires, sockets, etc.
Walk barefoot more often, including on the street, of course ensuring his safety at the same time.
The main movements during a massage are stroking, rubbing, lightly kneading the muscles, tapping and stroking again. The direction of movement is from bottom to top.
Read more about gymnastics to strengthen the back and legs in our video:
Do you want to quickly teach your child to eat on his own? Or do you need to potty train him? Or maybe you are looking for how to teach him how to assemble puzzles? You will find answers to these and many other questions in the materials below.
Muscle strengthening
You can strengthen the muscles that will be involved in the process of sitting down with the help of massage and a set of exercises. These procedures must be performed on a hard surface (changing table or laid floor), and they must be carried out regularly, starting from 3-4 months. As soon as the child’s muscles are sufficiently strengthened and he begins to actively roll over and crawl, this is a signal that you can try to sit him down.
Stretching exercises
Such exercises are designed to strengthen the muscles of the back, buttocks and tummy, and also prepare the baby’s hands for the process of turning over and crawling. After mastering these skills, the baby will begin to try to sit up within a month.
- You can place bright objects in front of a baby lying on his tummy, encouraging him to reach out to them with his hands;
- You can hang rattles above the crib or in the stroller, which the baby will try to reach for;
- When the baby is lying on his back, put your index fingers in his arms and, as soon as he grabs them tightly, gently pull them towards you, encouraging the baby to pull himself towards you.
Swimming
Exercising in water strengthens not only the muscular corset that a child needs to sit up on his own, but also his entire musculature. You can sign up with your baby in the pool and train with an instructor, and if there are no specialized groups in the city for joint activities with babies, then let the baby swim at home with a circle in the bathroom.
You can start swimming after the first month of life, as soon as the umbilical wound heals . Water procedures will help relieve the newborn's tone and strengthen the muscles necessary to learn to roll over, crawl, sit and walk.
Massage
Preventive massage of the back and buttocks is also great for strengthening the muscles that are used when children sit down. The procedure can be carried out by a paid specialist at home; after a professional course, children begin to master the necessary motor skills much faster than their peers. This measure is suitable for those children who are slightly behind development standards.
If your baby is healthy and developing at a normal pace, you can get by with a regular massage. You can ask a massage therapist or pediatrician at a children's clinic about how to do it correctly, and also read here.
As a rule, children's massage begins with light stroking, then gradually moves into movements with light pressure and ends with soft soothing smoothing of the muscles. Your arms should be directed from bottom to top for “vertical” movements, and from the spine to the sides for “horizontal” movements.
This massage is very simple, but you will notice how many positive emotions it will bring you and your baby. Tactile contact with your hands will calm the baby before bed, and - most importantly - regular sessions will strengthen your child's muscles . Continue the massage sessions as you begin to sit your baby down.
Fitball
Fitball exercises are very useful for the development of a baby’s muscular system. They should be carried out in the first half of the day, 1-1.5 after meals. The baby needs to be undressed and the ball covered with a clean diaper. Work with your baby every day for as long as he can handle without being capricious. The topic of exercises on the ball is covered most fully here.
- Holding the baby, rock him in different directions, either on his tummy or on his back.
- Putting the baby on his tummy and holding him with one hand, lightly press the ball with the other so that it begins to spring; repeat the exercise in a supine position.
- In the tummy position, hold your baby by the legs and roll the exercise ball back and forth.
Choosing the first shoes
Usually the baby takes his first steps at home barefoot or wearing socks. However, he will definitely need shoes.
Whether the child can walk in it depends on its convenience. After all, uncomfortable shoes will constrain the baby’s feet and make them heavy.
Therefore, when choosing your first shoes, you need to consider such points:
- Shoes should be made from natural, breathable materials;
- The sole should be flexible and as thin as possible;
- The leg should be well fixed: a solid back, good fasteners;
- It’s good if the shoes have an instep support and a small heel.
- Shoes should be easy to put on, because the baby cannot yet put his foot in by himself. And of course be true to size.
Skill lag
The child is over a year old and should start walking, but he doesn’t, although all his peers have already mastered this skill. Why is the development of this skill delayed in a child? There may be several reasons for the lag behind the norm:
- The child's weight is high . If the baby is overweight, it is difficult for him to move. Improperly organized feeding and overeating disrupt metabolism.
- Temperament.
- Heredity . If dad or mom went late in childhood, then the child could inherit this predisposition.
- Nervous environment, stress.
- Bad experience.
- Walkers.
- Frequent illnesses.
- Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and neurological.
The child becomes passive, lazy, and moves little. It is necessary to review your diet and daily routine. Reduce portions or number of feedings, gradually increase physical activity. Swimming, crawling, and gymnastics will help.
Phlegmatic and melancholic people usually begin to crawl and walk later. And active sanguine and choleric people - earlier.
Babies at this age are very sensitive and often get scared. Changes in usual conditions, an unfavorable situation in the family and the child feels unsure. Afraid to walk.
If a child has already tried to walk on his own, but fell unsuccessfully or got scared, then he may begin to be cautious.
The debate about the dangers and benefits of walkers does not stop. It is not recommended to put children who cannot sit well on their own in walkers. It is also noted that when using this device, the foot is formed incorrectly and the baby does not “work” enough.
Colds and viral diseases weaken the baby. He may stop walking or crawling for a while. As soon as the body recovers, the skill will return.
In this situation, examination and treatment by specialists will be required. If parents have doubts about the health of their child, they should consult a doctor.
You will find more tips for parents in this video:
Mom's milk
Breast milk is the ideal food for babies in the first months of life. Nature itself regulates the composition and required amount of milk produced by the mother, adapting to the needs of the child. So, immediately after childbirth, when the baby is just adapting to the changed living conditions, learning to get food, and the mother is learning to feed, she produces colostrum. This is a highly nutritious product that, in small quantities, provides satiety and plays a protective role. As the baby grows, milk becomes more abundant and its quality composition changes, but throughout the first year of life it is the main food product for the child. Therefore, it is very important that the diet of a nursing mother is complete and satisfies not only the need for basic nutrients, but is also rich in vitamins and minerals.
! It must be remembered that breast milk contains biologically active molecules that control the growth and development of the child, as well as protective proteins - immunoglobulins, which ensure the baby’s immunity to viral and bacterial infections. Modern scientific and production technologies make it possible to create adapted formulas that are as close as possible to human milk, but today it is impossible to artificially reproduce this unique product.
Every mother should strive to establish and maintain breastfeeding; by doing this, she determines the best path for her baby’s development, provides mental and emotional comfort, and also forms a health reserve for the future.
When to worry
If a child after a year does not get up and does not walk even with support, or he is already 1.5 years old and does not walk independently, then you should consult a doctor about this.
If the baby gets up and moves around, holding onto support, nothing bothers him, he is cheerful and full of strength, then his time has simply not come yet.
If your baby walks on tiptoes
Sometimes situations arise that the child begins to tiptoe. He does not plant his foot completely, but walks on his toes. The reasons for this behavior may be different:
- Most often this may be due to increased tone in the legs.
- A baby can walk on his toes to attract attention and become taller .
- Sometimes a child walks on his toes if he learned to walk using a walker .
- This may be due to diseases of the nervous system or musculoskeletal system , but then the child will also have other disorders that cannot be ignored.
It is believed that this condition is associated with fetal hypoxia during pregnancy and childbirth. The problem usually fixes itself.
When a child moves a lot, crawls, climbs on and off the sofa, bed, chair, gets up, walks, then his muscles become stronger and the increased tone goes away. In some cases, massage and gymnastics help;
It is necessary to correct such walking by correcting the child;
Did your baby walk on tiptoes?
Not really
In them, the baby stands more on his toes than on the entire foot;
The pediatrician will definitely pay attention to them when examining the child.
In any case, it is necessary to correct the child’s gait in order to avoid problems with the spine and diseases of the musculoskeletal system in the future.
And a little more about walkers, they are in great demand among many parents, but increasingly, pediatricians are speaking out against this device, arguing that it can interfere with the formation of proper walking skills.
Where to start complementary feeding
Recently, experts recommend introducing porridge as a first complementary food product. Why porridge? This is, first of all, the high nutritional and energy value of the dish - one serving provides 20-30% of the child’s daily needs for energy and nutrients. The high energy density of cereals due to the carbohydrate component is very important in the initial period of introducing complementary foods. It is also a source of protein - a building material for a growing organism.
Porridges contain an ideal set of dietary fibers that improve digestion processes, provide vitamins D, E, group B and minerals (Fe, Zn, I, Mg, Ca). Their delicate taste makes it easy to introduce this type of complementary food into the diet of babies. At the age of up to 6 months, gluten-free (buckwheat, rice, corn) porridges prepared on the basis of expressed milk/adapted formula or baby water are used in the diet. In the second half of life, you can introduce wheat, oatmeal, and then multi-grain porridges.
Vegetables. Vegetable complementary foods are also introduced at 4-6 months. Since the nutritional and energy value of vegetables is inferior to cereals, this group of products is the second in order of introduction. However, despite the small quantitative content of proteins, fats and complex carbohydrates, vegetables are rich in valuable substances that are low in breast milk - organic acids, minerals and dietary fiber. This type of complementary food may be introduced first in some situations. It is especially preferable to start with vegetables for children who are prone to constipation and have large weight gains while exclusively breastfed. Vegetable complementary feeding can begin with zucchini puree - this is a low-allergenic product, rich in fiber, but does not increase gas formation. After your baby has tried zucchini, you can expand the diet with other vegetables: broccoli and cauliflower, carrots, potatoes. After 6 months, pumpkin, beets and white cabbage can be introduced. Vegetable puree gradually replaces almost the entire feeding in volume, can consist of several vegetables and is seasoned with vegetable oil.
Meat feeding. One of the fundamental changes in modern children's dietetics is the earlier use of meat in the baby's diet. This is a very valuable product, a source of essential amino acids, easily digestible iron, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamin B12. Modern industrial technologies for the production of baby food make it possible to make complementary meat easily digestible. Therefore, starting from 6 months, you can include puree from beef, veal, rabbit, chicken and turkey in your baby’s diet, and from 7 months - from pork and lamb. It is advisable to introduce it not as an independent dish, but to combine it with other types of complementary foods. The combination with dairy-free cereals and vegetable purees increases the nutritional value. This is already a complete complementary food, which replaces one of the feedings with mother's milk. At the same time, meat makes up no more than a fifth of the feeding volume, which does not increase the load on the baby’s digestive tract and kidneys.
Fruit juice and puree. Traditionally, for many years, the introduction of complementary foods began with the inclusion of fruit juice and puree in the baby’s diet. However, the high content of organic acids and sugars in fruits is a serious burden on the infant’s immature digestive tract and increases the risk of allergies. In addition, the low nutritional value of fruits casts doubt on the advisability of starting complementary foods with this food group. Therefore, experts recommend expanding the diet with monocomponent fruit purees for children older than 6 months, and for babies at risk of allergic reactions - after 8 months. Most babies eat fruit complementary foods with pleasure, and, in addition to the pleasant taste and aroma, the child receives important minerals, primarily potassium, as well as plant fibers. Complementary feeding begins with the introduction of purees based on apples and pears, then expands the menu with plums, bananas, peaches, cherries and berries. Along with purely fruit and vegetable dishes, you can offer combined products with a combination of fruits and cereals, and after 8 months - with yoghurts.
Dairy products. Cottage cheese is characterized by high nutritional value and is an important source of protein and calcium. If the child does not have any symptoms of food allergies, you can start introducing this product after 6 months. As a rule, cottage cheese is combined with cereals and fruits/vegetables, achieving the effect of mutually complementing nutrients, enriching the taste and ensuring longer saturation. Specialized fermented milk drinks (biolact, yogurt, fermented baked milk) are introduced to children over 8 months, gradually replacing one of the feedings with breast milk or formula.
Eggs. Chicken egg yolk has long been used in the nutrition of children in the first year of life. This is due to the high biological value of its constituent components - lecithin, choline, fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, beta-carotene, calcium, phosphorus and iron. However, current recommendations limit the introduction of eggs in the first year of life due to the high risk of allergic reactions. In the absence of manifestations of food allergies, from 10-11 months the child can be introduced to the yolk of an egg, and only after the age of one year is the protein part included in the diet.
Fish. Despite the high nutritional value of a source of easily digestible protein, healthy fat and minerals, fish is a very strong allergen. Therefore, this product should be introduced into the diet with caution, no earlier than 10 months of age. In the diet of children at risk of food allergies, fish and seafood are added according to individual plans.
