Northwest Spokane Pediatrics

Child Development

Weeks


What should I expect from my 6-month-old?

Behaviors

  • Adores playing with balls, rattles, and squeaky toys.
  • May prefer some foods to others.
  • May enjoy playing with food.
  • May show sharp mood changes.
  • Displays especially strong attachment to mother.
  • Develops deeper attachment to father, siblings, and other familiar people.
  • Smiles at other children.
  • May show fear of strangers.
  • Intrigued with mirror image.

Neurodevelopmental

  • Loves games like peek-a-boo and patty cake.
  • Usually sleeps through the night.
  • Usually begins teething.
  • Laughs a little.
  • Squeals.
  • Babbles.
  • Jabber.
  • May recognize own name.

Physical

  • Rolls over front to back efficiently.
  • Starting to roll back to front.
  • Sits more steady.
  • Rests on elbows.
  • Sits in high chair.
  • Continues to use motions leading to crawling.
  • Makes jumping motions when held in standing position.
  • Reaches with one hand.
  • Bats and grasps dangling objects.
  • Can pass objects from one hand to another.

Sleep

Do not put a bottle in the bed with your baby. Develop a bedtime routine like singing a lullaby, bathing, rocking, turning the lights out, and giving a goodnight kiss. Make the routine the same every night. Be calm and consistent with your baby at bedtime.

Nutrition

If you haven't started baby foods, other than cereal, you can start now. Begin with vegetables then move to fruits or meats. Start one new food at a time for a few days to make sure your baby tolerates it well and has no rashes develop. Do not give foods that require chewing. They do not have adequate teeth production yet. At meals give the baby formula, or breast-feed your baby before giving baby food. Don't start eggs or honey until age 12 months.

Safety Tips

Learn CPR
Avoid Choking and Suffocation
  • Cords, ropes, or strings around the baby's neck can choke him. Keep cords away from the crib.
  • Keep all small, hard objects out of reach.
  • Ensure that the toys do not have objects that can come off and choke baby as baby will put everything it can in their mouth.
  • Some foods can cause choking like hot dogs, raw carrots, and candy. Those and others should be avoided.
Avoid Injury
  • Keep crib and playpen sides up.
  • Install safety gates to guard stairways.
  • Close doors to any area where items that can cause injury to baby are stored.
  • Close the toilet lid. Babies can fall in.
  • Check drawers, tall furniture, and lamps to make sure they can't fall over easily.

RED FLAGS

  1. Infant does not reach and grab toys with one or both hands.
  2. Infant takes little or no weight on legs or does so with legs stiffly extended, on toes.
  3. Infant does not sit well with support.
  4. Head is not vertical when infant is on stomach.
  5. Does not startle or awaken to loud sounds or has been identified as hearing impaired.
  6. Does not respond to changes in tone of voice.
  7. Has been identified with a Neuro-developmental disorder or motor delay.

(Red Flags adapted from Spokane Regional Health District – Birth to three program.)