Note to mothers and fathers of boys: child development norms at 5 months

After being born and adapting to new living conditions, babies begin to develop and grow. This process occurs differently for boys and girls.

It is believed that representatives of the stronger sex gain weight faster and grow, but are slightly behind in mental development. It is important for parents to monitor what changes occur in the baby every month. This will help identify deviations and eliminate them in time.

It is necessary to know the developmental features of a child at 5 months, boys and girls.

What can a baby already do?

First, let's figure out what a child at this age should be able to do. But we remind you that children are individuals. They can be able to do different things at this age. However, there is something that they definitely need to learn to do. He already turns over on his own while lying down, and may even make his first attempts to crawl. The baby sits with support, but bends his back. Therefore, it is not recommended for him to sit for a long time. If you take your toddler by the arms and place him, for example, on the sofa, he will be able to keep his legs straight.

The child coordinates movements and can grab and hold things. Some toys can keep him occupied for up to 15 minutes. He recognizes his parents well and is afraid of strangers. His speech is developing very actively. He pronounces individual sounds and can even do this with intonation. Children at this age love music and rhymes that their mother tells. They can easily hold a bottle while being fed. Or adjust the chest to make it more comfortable for him. At this age, they demonstrate gymnastic skills: they can pull their legs up to their mouth and stick their fingers into it.

Recommendations for care and development

Proper development and care of a 5-month-old boy is the key to his normal development physically and emotionally. Children at this age are characterized by increased activity.

It is important to channel their energy in the right direction. The baby is awake during the day for about 1-2 hours. It is recommended to conduct training sessions at that time. Many parents are interested in how to organize the development and care of their baby.

Experts give the following advice on caring for five-month-old babies:

• do not wrap the baby. It is recommended to leave it naked more often (provided that the room has optimal temperature and humidity). This will prevent the appearance of prickly heat;
• use clothes and bedding with soft seams;
• change diaper every three hours. After changing the boy's diaper, he should be washed;
• bathe your child daily. Soap should be used no more than twice every 7 days. It is better to do water procedures before bedtime;
• In the morning after waking up, wash the baby’s face and wipe his eyes;
• The nose and ears should be cleaned according to physiological necessity.

It's good to play patty with your baby

Activities with your child should be carried out in the form of a game. It is useful to develop his fine motor skills. Finger games are well suited for this: for example, “Ladushki”, “Magpie-Crow”. Such activities not only improve manual dexterity, but also develop intelligence, imagination, and contribute to the normal development of speech.

Developmental activities for boys at 5 months:

To develop hearing and form a passive vocabulary, it is useful to tell your baby rhymes and listen to children's songs with him.
It is important to purchase educational toys for the boy that will help him master new skills and abilities:

• toys with uneven surfaces;
• objects with mirror elements;
• musical toys;
• mobile;
• rustling book;
• baby sling beads;
• inertial and conventional cars;
• tumbler;
• rattles

It is also useful to buy a developmental mat for your baby.

Physical development at 5 months

The baby gained weight very quickly and grew up all this time. But the physical development of a child at 5 months slows down a little. And all his efforts go towards acquiring vital skills. Doctors identify boundary standards for physical indicators, beyond which parents should be prompted to visit a doctor. But this may not always be a sign of problems, since each baby develops individually. Remember this.

Weight and height

For girls, the norm is weight - 5.6-8.7 kg, height - 60-66 cm. For boys, the indicators should be: weight - 6.2-9.4 kg, height - 61-67 kg. These weight and height figures are average. A slight shift in one direction or the other is considered normal for children.

During this period, weight gain sharply decreases because the baby becomes much more active and spends more energy.

Skin

A five-month-old baby has very sensitive skin. This means that abrasions and red spots form on it due to friction during games or other activities. Heat rash and irritation can occur in babies as a result of the accumulation of dirt and dust. This happens because the little one begins to explore the world and spends less time in the crib. He gets diaper rash more often under his diaper due to an increase in the amount of urine.

Therefore, during this period it is especially important for parents to pay due attention to the hygiene of the child. Bathe him every other day. Change diapers every three hours. You can even leave the baby without him for a while. Change your baby's clothes when he gets dirty. If he has to spend the whole day in dirty conditions, his skin will have difficulty breathing.

Hearing

Infants' hearing is already very well developed. They not only know how to distinguish voices, but also already understand where the sound is coming from. At five months, the child reveals a reaction to what he hears. He may laugh, smile, cry or scream. It all depends on what the sound was. The baby recognizes the voice of its parents, especially its mother. Therefore, you need to talk to the baby as much and often as possible, read to him and sing to him. It is advisable to change the intonation of the voice so that the child learns to distinguish between them. You can test your baby's hearing. Turn on the radio or TV. Then move a little away from the child and clap your hands. If he reacts, then there is no reason to worry, and if not, then go to the doctor.

Vision

The toddler's vision also improves. He already knows how to focus on different objects, follow a moving rattle and turn his head behind it, fix his gaze on what he likes. The baby recognizes the faces of loved ones and is very happy about them. Some children may have a mild form of strabismus from birth. This is normal and should not be a cause for concern. It should pass by this age. If the problem is still there at 5 months, then go to the doctor.

Norms of physical development of a baby

The physical development of a child is understood as an increase in his weight, body length, change in head and chest circumference. The body weight of children largely depends on their nutritional habits.

A third of babies at the age of five months already begin to receive complementary foods in the form of fruit and vegetable purees and juices. If tolerated well, mothers include porridge in the infant’s diet.

Babies who eat grains gain weight faster than babies who are fed exclusively breast milk. Boys grow faster than girls. Infants who are bottle-fed gain more weight than those who are fed breast milk. This is explained by the fact that adapted mixtures are more nutritious.

The body of a five-month-old boy becomes more proportional. Correct physical development is indicated by the excess of the chest volume over the head circumference. The difference can reach 3 cm. This means that the baby has no hidden internal pathologies and the brain functions normally.

Formula-fed babies gain weight faster

The physical development of a boy at 5 months depends on the following factors:

• timing of birth (premature babies grow more slowly and gain weight);
• feeding and rest regime;
• activity level.

Body parameters (weight and length) of five-month-old boys in the table:

Norms for chest and head circumference for boys 5 months old in the table:

By five months, intestinal colic disappears and the digestion process improves. Stools in boys receiving complementary foods are rarer and more stable. Babies who are fed only breast milk have more frequent bowel movements.

A five-month-old baby's quality of vision and hearing improves. The work of the salivary glands increases. This is explained by the body preparing for teething.

Mental and mental development

A toddler is actively developing speech at 5 months. He shouts out sounds and tries to put them into syllables. When he sees dad or mom, he always asks to be held and smiles. But unknown people make him worry and cry. A place he has never been to before can cause the same sensations in him.

At the same time, kids show great curiosity about everything around them. Sometimes they may suck their fingers. Try to avoid this, it will deform the nail plate and introduce germs into your mouth. The child’s memory is actively developing. He remembers all his toys and is very happy with them.

Babies begin to have fun while feeding. They can smile, touch the breast, pinch it. Do not scold the baby for this, but try to show that this is not necessary.

Now, briefly about what any child should be able to do at 5 months:

1. Hold your head and turn it towards a sound or behind a moving object.
2. Reaching for toys.
3. Lie on your stomach and raise your head slightly up for a few minutes.
4. Roll over.
5. Fix toys in hands.

But sometimes, due to individual characteristics, some children cannot do all of the above. Perhaps you should consult a doctor. However, often there is nothing wrong with this, and your baby will learn everything.

What should a 5 month old boy be able to do?

Five-month-old boys are more active than girls. They are better oriented in space. There is a special development calendar that indicates the skills and abilities of children by age.

At five months old boys should be able to:

• follow moving objects, try to catch them with your hand;
• hold your head in any position;
• roll over from back to stomach and back;
• imitate crawling movements while lying on your stomach;
• take a toy from an adult’s hands;
• distinguish the brightness of lighting;
• rise onto your forearms while lying on your stomach;
• walk (consonants l, p, m appear in speech).

Premature babies are developmentally delayed. The age of 5 months is a turning point for them. At this time, they begin to catch up with their peers who were born on time. The height, weight, and mental indicators of premature boys are approaching the norm.

Bringing indicators closer to normal makes it possible for premature babies to master the following skills and abilities:

• head retention;
• finding the sound source with your eyes;
• turning over.

Many five-month-old boys make their first attempts to sit up from a lying position. To improve and consolidate this skill, some parents buy a stroller or a high chair. It is too early to use such devices, since the baby’s abdominal muscles are still very weak.

The spine is not strong enough, so you need to make sure that there is no heavy load on it. Early sitting down can lead to a number of serious problems that can manifest themselves in adolescence (osteochondrosis, scoliosis, hypoxia of internal organs).

Activities with a child

In order for the baby to develop and learn to do everything that an adult can do, you need to constantly work with him. This should be done with the help of toys, since children really love games and through them they better remember what to do. Special play sets help a lot in a child’s development. For example, thanks to the “Speaking from the Cradle” kit, you can teach your baby to form syllables from sounds, and then words. This kit will teach you how to communicate correctly, play and develop your toddler's vocabulary.

Children remember foreign words much better. Therefore, you can already start studying the same English. The “Skylark English for babies” set will be simply irreplaceable for this purpose. Here, a level-by-level methodology for teaching English from the cradle has been developed. And it won’t be boring at all for the little one. Thanks to him, the baby will easily learn English words very soon. And he will definitely need this in the future.

It is also worth reading more to your child. To make reading as useful as possible, choose instructive tales. For example, “How to raise a kind child” or “50 therapeutic tales from 33 whims.” These are simply sets of fairy tales that the child will like, and with constant repetition they will form useful habits in the child. At this age, the baby will learn to sit. Be sure to give him something soft, because his back cannot withstand this load yet, and the child may fall back at any moment. But if the baby doesn’t want to sit down, don’t force him.

Back training for future loads

Since the baby will begin to walk very soon, his back must be prepared for stress. To do this, you need to massage him daily and do gymnastic exercises with him. Stroke, rub, pat and pinch your baby's back, arms and legs. To strengthen your muscles, exercise on a fitball. Place the baby on it with his stomach down. Let him straighten his arms and legs. And placing him on his back, hold him by the palms and sit him down.

Fine motor skills

It is very important for a 5-month-old baby to develop fine motor skills. To do this, be sure to play finger games with him, roll the massage ball and collect sensory boxes. Place objects of different shapes, textures and colors there.

But make sure that there are no particularly small parts that the baby can put in his mouth.

Communication and tactile contact

In the fifth month of a child’s life, it is very important to communicate with him more. After all, this is the basis for the development of a baby at any age. Constantly comment on all actions, tell what you see, name each object and show what you do with it. Of course, the child does not yet understand all the words, but they will definitely be deposited on his subconscious. Hug the baby and hold his hands. This will strengthen the connection between you.

Music

Children's hearing develops well. They can distinguish different rhythms. And if you put rhythmic rhymes on them, it will be easier for them to understand the words. Kids love to move to the beat of the music. And they love it when lullabies are sung to them. Children really like games where they can combine songs and movements. That's why they are delighted with the game of pats. Although it will still be difficult for them to perform the necessary actions, they can already show him this game.

Reading books

It's time to introduce your child to a book. It must have many different colorful pictures. The baby will look at them, and at this time you will read rhymes to him and study elementary sounds with him. He will definitely try to repeat after you, and this will perfectly develop his speech.

Possible developmental problems

Do not forget that each child is individual and this invariably affects his development. This means that there is no need to panic if he has not developed a particular skill by the fifth month.

The fifth month of life is the period when the baby can already be taught crawling skills

So, someone stubbornly refuses to sit down, someone, on the contrary, crawls ahead of time, another baby has a mouth full of teeth, while a third has a clear lack of weight - as many children as there are situations.

As for problems, their presence is usually stated in the absence of three development factors corresponding to the age group under consideration.

See also:

How to choose toys for children under one year old - table by month

Caring for a five month old baby

A 5 month old baby needs the same care as before. After waking up, you need to wash him, wipe his eyes, clean his nose and ears if they are dirty. Several times a week, the baby needs to trim his nails with special scissors. It is better to do this after bathing, when the nail plates have softened a little.

You need to bathe your child at least every other day. But if you have a desire, and the baby loves this process, then you can do it more often. You can use various slides, mattresses and hats. If the baby sits on his own, then get a special bathing seat. This will make the process much more fun. You can take various toys with you, and your little one will be happy to play with them.

Remember that the water should be the same as the person's body temperature. And if your baby has problems sleeping, then add herbs to it. It could be chamomile, lavender or string. They will calm the little one and it will be easier for him to fall asleep. In addition, do not forget about gymnastics and massage. This is very important, because very soon the baby will begin to walk, and he needs strong muscles.

Mental development of the baby

Five-month-old boys experience certain changes in psycho-emotional terms. They have a pronounced reaction to communication with adults. The baby smiles in response to the affectionate voice of his parents and cries if he is spoken to strictly and loudly.

Five-month-old children can already distinguish between family and strangers well. If mom or dad approaches the baby, he will react with animation. The child picks up on the intonation of adults’ speech and begins to try to imitate it.

He can already distinguish the voices of his family well. If a boy hears that a stranger is in the house, he immediately becomes wary.

Left alone, the baby begins to talk to himself, tries to grab nearby objects, and looks at his arms and legs.

The mental development of a child largely depends on the influence of such factors:

• family atmosphere;
• presence of mental illness;
• stress;
• sufficient attention from parents.

Kids actively explore the world around them. They carefully examine objects unfamiliar to them and put them in their mouths. Children at 5 months strive to communicate with their peers.

Daily routine and nutrition

The baby should have a clear sleep and wake schedule. At the age of five months, he needs to sleep at least 10 hours at night and 5 during the day. As a rule, daytime sleep is divided into three times, after which the child must be active for several hours. The baby's daily routine should include several walks. Their time is purely individual and depends on weather conditions. At the same time, he may no longer sleep during the festivities, but look at the world around him.

Development and nutrition depend directly on each other. If you are breastfeeding, then let your baby eat as soon as he asks. Be prepared for the fact that sounds and rustles can distract the child from the process. If you have enough milk, then you don’t need to introduce complementary foods yet. But children who eat formula must eat strictly on time. They need 5 meals with breaks of up to four hours. A child should eat an amount of food per day equal to his weight divided by 7. He can already be introduced to complementary foods if this has not been done before. Try giving your toddler porridge, some vegetables and fruit puree.

But complementary feeding should be introduced only if you do not have enough milk, and the baby is slowly gaining weight, or there is a risk of developing anemia. In other cases, it is best to continue feeding only breast milk at this age.

Skill of a boy aged 5 months

The development of a child in the first year of life is monitored using several indicators, among which not only anthropometric data, but also acquired skills play a key role.

And only on the basis of their comprehensive comparison can concrete conclusions be drawn, determining how much the baby’s physical fitness and abilities correspond to his age.

Accurate height and weight chart

The first procedure that you have to undergo during a routine visit to the pediatrician comes down to measuring the baby’s height and weight. And it is on the basis of the obtained figures that the doctor decides how much the anthropometric data of his little patient corresponds to the norm.

It is noteworthy that you can cope with this task without the help of a specialist, simply by having at hand the tabular data developed by WHO, according to which at 5 months of age, normally developing children should have the following parameters:

When studying the tabular data, you can see that boys are slightly larger than girls, although in reality there are different cases. In addition, we are talking about average indicators, a slight deviation from which will not be considered a pathology.

So, a boy at 5 months old can weigh about 6 kg, while being an absolutely healthy child. Such nuances can be caused by various factors, including heredity, individual developmental characteristics, premature birth, etc.

At 5 months the baby is very active and loves to play.

Physical and physiological development

As the child grows up, his daily routine changes as a result. Becoming more and more active, a 5-month-old boy more often refuses to sleep, the daily duration of which at this stage is reduced to 12-15 hours.

And above all, this is reflected in daytime rest, which usually happens no more than twice a day. But at night the child gets up less and less often, demanding breast or formula no more than once, although the frequency of daytime feedings remains the same.

The baby also changes externally, because thanks to the development and strengthening of bone and muscle tissue, his body becomes more proportional and strong. At the same time, you can observe an improvement in the functioning of the senses.

At this stage of life, babies are already beginning to clearly distinguish and track bright objects, recognize relatives and friends by their voice and appearance, grab everything, firmly holding the prey in their hand and taking it away from others if necessary, and also pull toys and fingers into their mouths. and even your own legs.

In addition, children gradually improve their coordination of movements, which greatly distinguishes them from completely helpless newborns. A 5-month-old boy already confidently holds his head, in any position, rests his hands on the floor, lying on his stomach, and quickly turns over from his back to his side, and then onto his tummy and back.

The most active children can try their hand at crawling or sitting, although possessing these skills at such an early age is not necessary.

See also:

How to teach a child to sit up independently - from a lying position at 6 months?