How 1 year old baby changes

[lovebaby]

You and your child have passed over much fertile turf during the last twelve months. You have learned to appreciate the initiative baby can take, and to encourage further learning through curiosity, assertion, and pleasurable give and take. Your infant is learning about limits in the new behaviors he/she learns, and how to use social skills to evoke warm interaction.

Her/his actions and feelings may include anger, joy, sadness, puzzlement, anxiety, delight, pleasure, warmth and the ever-present curiousness.

Discipline emphasis around this time continues to center on the supervising and protecting, not the punitive aspects. Now is the time for consistency to emerge, as the child needs to see that his/her world can be securely defined and depended on in the actions of his/her caretakers, and in their responses to particular behaviors. Remember that a one year old does not understand ‘right” and “wrong” and cannot be “reasoned with”. He/she does need to be quickly and unilaterally whisked away from danger and potential “wrong” for the child. The only three things ever needing corrective discipline throughout your child’s life are disobedience, disrespect and dangerous behaviors. If a behavior does not fit in these categories, do not do a disciplinary procedure! It is a time for deliberation and planning, one that will set the stage for each level of disciplinary need.

Walking is the “model” motor behavior achieved around this time, but many factors determine the day of that first toddling step, including temperament, former motor mastery, degree of cautiousness and curiosity. If progress continues, don’t be alarmed if your baby doesn’t walk even until 16 months or later (although discuss this with your doctor). Walking is exciting (new freedom), so other development may take a back seat for awhile. It’s very hard to carry, hold or diaper an independent one year old walker - - don’t feel rejected! If not walking, baby should be pulling to stand, cruising, trying to walk with support, and falling a lot!

Hand control improves with a real “pincer” (thumb-forefinger) grasp, and lots of pointing. He/she can fine tune hand movement in space, even for moving objects. Finger foods can be more neatly eaten. Baby may be able to put one object inside another; usually lots of toy banging is present. He/she may begin the age old, tireless game of “let’s see how many times I can get mom/dad to pick up the toy” – try to limit yourself! Cup use should be well progressed. He/she may wave goodbye in the morning now. Crayon drawing/scribbling may actually start as well.

Language progresses from using “mama” and “dada” in the correct way to include immature jargoning, (mimicking speech sounds and rhythm), without actually saying anything. One or two meaningful words may be added to the vocabulary about now. Even without words, baby is better at getting wants across, and may even follow a one step command. (Receptive speech skills outpace expressive for a long time yet).

Social games depending on effective communication continue to evolve such as “patty-cake”, “peek-a-boo”, “so-big”, as imitation and symbol recognition are learned as means of communication. Your baby probably loves an audience and will “ham” surprisingly well.

He/she is jealous for your affection and attention – it doesn’t hurt to give it out in big doses when your child is behaving well. Your baby is now “smart” enough to uncover an object he/she has seen being hidden (object permanence). He/she also knows what to do actually DO with objects (that is, now not everything goes in the mouth – some things are appropriately shaken, squeezed, pulled and pushed). Because of all this learning and desire for more control, frustration may result in an occasional temper tantrum or “breath-holding” spell (more scary) – most can be ignored with return to positive interaction when the outburst has resolved. Lots of talking while doing the daily activities encourages speech development, as do big picture books. Spend time each day this way, and better command of language will speed the way out of some communication frustrations that may lead to tantrums. Most importantly, guard your child’s heart— no TV, video, or passive entertainment is encouraged. Vow now never to put a TV or computer in their bedroom.



[Article from David L. Ragonesi, M.D.]