Developmental Milestones
While every child will develop at their own pace, there are certain milestones that parents and caregivers can identify. Learn more about what to look for, and what to do if you notice a delay or possible signs of autism.
What to expect during the first...
At three months, most children will be more expressive and social than they were as a newborn. They should begin to show a physical response to their surroundings and exert strength, like raising their head and chest. They may also pay closer attention to objects and faces, and start to babble pleasantly.
Social & Emotional
- Begins to develop a social smile
- Enjoys playing with others; may cry when playing stops
- Becomes more expressive
- Communicates more using the face and body
- Imitates some movements and facial expressions
Developmental Milestones
- Raises head and chest when lying on stomach
- Supports upper body with arms when lying on stomach
- Stretches out legs and kicks when lying on stomach or back
- Opens and shuts hands
- Pushes down on legs when feet are placed on a firm surface
- Brings hand to mouth
- Swipes at dangling objects with hands
- Grasps and shakes hand toys
Hearing & Speech
- Smiles at the sound of your voice
- Begins to babble
- Begins to imitate sounds
- Turns head toward direction of sound
Vision
- Watches faces intently
- Follows moving objects
- Recognizes familiar objects and people at a distance
- Starts using hands and eyes in coordination
Possible Warning Signs of Autism
- Doesn’t respond to loud noises
- Doesn’t notice hands by two months
- Doesn’t follow moving objects with eyes by two to three months
- Doesn’t grasp or hold objects, or reach for objects by three months
- Doesn’t smile at people by three months
- Cannot support their head by three months
- Doesn’t babble by three to four months
- Babbles, but without imitating your sounds by four months
- Doesn’t bring objects to mouth by four months
- Doesn’t push down with legs when feet are on a firm surface by four months
- Shows difficulty moving one or both eyes in all directions
- Crosses eyes most of the time (occasional eye crossing is normal in the first few months)
- Doesn’t pay attention to new faces, or seems very frightened by new faces or surroundings
- Experiences a dramatic loss of skills that were already developed
At seven months, children should begin to respond to others’ expressions and enjoy social play. They should become curious about their surroundings, respond to their name, and babble longer, fuller sentences. Children should reach for objects with one hand, learn to roll over, and support some weight on their legs. They should also be able to track moving objects with their eyes.
Social & Emotional
- Enjoys social play
- Interested in looking in the mirror
- Responds to others’ expressions of emotion and appears joyful often
Movement
- Rolls front to back and back to front
- Sits with and without support on hands
- Supports entire weight on legs
- Reaches with one hand
- Transfers objects from hand to hand
- Uses hand to rake objects
Hearing & Speech
- Responds to familiar words like no and their name
- Can understand emotions by tone of voice
- Responds to a sound by making sounds
- Uses voice to express joy and displeasure
- Babbles longer chains of sounds
Vision
- Develops full color vision
- Can see better at a distance
- Ability to track moving objects improves
Cognitive
- Finds partially hidden object
- Explores with hands and mouth
- Reaches for objects that are out of reach
Possible Warning Signs of Autism
- Seems very stiff, with tight muscles, or very weak, like a rag doll
- Head falls back when body is pulled to a sitting position
- Reaches with one hand only
- Refuses to cuddle, and shows no affection for parents and caregivers
- Doesn’t seem to enjoy being around people
- One or both eyes consistently turn in or out
- Persistent tears, eye drainage, or sensitivity to light
- Does not respond to or turn head to locate sounds
- Has difficulty getting objects to mouth
At one year, children should show a strong preference for parents and/or primary caregivers. They should be able to finger-feed themselves and imitate others during play. They should know how to use everyday objects correctly and respond to common words, like no, and say simple words like dada and mama. Most children at this age will crawl, reach a sitting position without help, and walk while holding onto furniture. Children should also be able to place objects in or remove objects from containers, and poke with an index finger.
Social & Emotional
- Becomes shy or anxious around strangers
- Cries when a parent leaves
- Enjoys imitating people in play
- Shows specific preferences for certain people and toys
- Tests parental responses to actions during feedings
- Tests parental responses to behavior
- May be fearful in some situations
- Prefers mother and/or regular caregiver over all others
- Repeats sounds or gestures for attention
- Can finger-feed some foods
- Extends arm or leg to help when being dressed
Movement
- Reaches sitting position without assistance
- Crawls forward on belly, creeps on hands and knees, and can assume hands-and-knees position
- Transitions from sitting to crawling or prone position
- Pulls self up to stand
- Walks holding on to furniture
- Stands momentarily without support
- May walk two or three steps without support
Hearing & Speech
- Increasingly pays attention to speech
- Responds to simple verbal requests, or to words like no
- Uses simple gestures, such as shaking head for no
- Babbles with inflection
- Tries to imitate words
- Says “dada” and “mama” or uses exclamations such as “uh-oh!”
Cognitive
- Explores objects in many different ways (shaking, banging, throwing, dropping)
- Finds hidden objects easily
- Looks at correct picture when the image is named
- Imitates gestures
- Begins to use objects correctly (drinking from cup, brushing hair, dialing phone, listening to receiver)
Hand & Finger Skills
- Uses pincer grasp
- Pokes with index finger
- Bangs two objects together
- Places objects in and removes from container
- Lets objects go voluntarily
- Tries to imitate scribbling
Possible Warning Signs of Autism
- Doesn’t crawl
- Drags one side of body while crawling (for over one month)
- Cannot stand upright when supported
- Doesn’t search for hidden objects
- Doesn’t say single words, like mama or dada
- Doesn’t learn to use gestures, such as waving or shaking head
- Doesn’t point to objects or pictures
- Shows a dramatic loss of skills that were already developed
At age two, children should imitate adults, enjoy other children, and demonstrate increasing independence. Children will play make-believe, recognize names of familiar people and objects, walk on their own, and be able to kick a ball. Children should also scribble on their own, build towers of four or more blocks, and possibly show a preference for one hand over the other.
Social & Emotional
- Imitates behavior of others, especially adults and older children
- More aware of oneself as separate from others
- More excited about company of other children
- Demonstrates increasing independence
- Begins to show defiant behavior
- Separation anxiety increases toward midyear then fades
Movement
- Walks alone
- Begins to run
- Walks up and down stairs holding on to support
- Stands on tiptoes
- Pulls toys, or carries a large toy while walking
- Kicks a ball
- Climbs onto and down from furniture unassisted
Hearing & Speech
- Points to object or picture when it’s named
- Recognizes names of familiar people, objects, and body parts
- Says several single words (by 15 to 18 months)
- Uses simple phrases (by 18 to 24 months)
- Uses two- to four-word sentences
- Follows simple instructions
- Repeats words overheard in conversation
Cognitive
- Finds objects even when hidden under two or three covers
- Begins to sort by shapes and colors
- Begins make-believe play
Hand & Finger Skills
- Scribbles on own
- Turns over container to pour out contents
- Builds tower of four blocks or more
- Might use one hand more often than the other
Possible Warning Signs of Autism
- Cannot walk by 18 months
- Fails to develop a mature heel-toe walking pattern after several months of walking, or walks only on toes
- Does not speak at least 15 words
- Does not use two-word sentences by age 2
- By 15 months, does not seem to know the function of common household objects (brush, telephone, bell, fork, spoon)
- Does not imitate actions or words by the end of this period
- Does not follow simple instructions by age 2
- Cannot push a wheeled toy by age 2
- Experiences a dramatic loss of skills previously developed
At age three, children should spontaneously show affection and express a wide range of emotions. They should be able to separate objects by shape and color, play make-believe with dolls and people, understand more complex commands, and speak in sentences of four to five words. Climbing, running, and bending over without falling should be easy at this age.
Social & Emotional
- Imitates adults and playmates
- Spontaneously shows affection for familiar playmates
- Expresses affection openly
- Can take turns in games
- Understands concept of mine v. theirs
- Expresses a wide range of emotions
- Separates easily from parents
- Objects to major changes in routine
Movement
- Climbs well
- Walks up and down stairs, alternating feet (one foot per stair step)
- Kicks ball runs easily
- Pedals tricycle
- Bends over easily without falling
Hearing & Speech
- Follows a two- or three-part command
- Recognizes and identifies almost all common objects and pictures
- Understands most sentences
- Understands object placement in space (on, in, under)
- Uses four- to five-word sentences
- Can say name, age, and sex
- Uses pronouns (I, you, me, we, they) and some plurals (cars, dogs, cats)
- Strangers can understand most of their words
Cognitive
- Makes mechanical toys work
- Matches an object in hand or room to a picture in a book
- Plays make-believe with dolls, animals, and people
- Sorts objects by shape and color
- Completes puzzles with three or four pieces
- Understands concept of “two”
Hand & Finger Skills
- Makes up-and-down, side-to-side, and circular lines with pencil or crayon
- Holds a pencil in writing position
- Turns pages in a book one at a time
- Builds a tower of more than six blocks
- Screws and unscrews jar lids, nuts, and bolts
- Turns rotating handles
Possible Warning Signs of Autism
- Frequent falling and difficulty with stairs
- Persistent drooling or very unclear speech
- Cannot build a tower of more than four blocks
- Difficulty manipulating small objects
- Cannot copy a circle by age 3
- Cannot communicate in short phrases
- No involvement in pretend play
- Does not understand simple instructions
- Little interest in other children
- Extreme difficulty separating from mother or primary caregiver
- Poor eye contact
- Limited interest in toys
- Experiences a dramatic loss of skills previously developed
At four years of age, most children should be interested in new experiences. Children should be able to dress and undress themselves, name some colors, use scissors, recall parts of a story, and speak in four- to five-word sentences. Playing with a ball—throwing, kicking, and catching—should be routine.
Social & Emotional
- Interested in new experiences
- Cooperates with other children
- Plays “Mom” or “Dad” during make-believe play
- Increasingly inventive in fantasy play
- Dresses and undresses
- Negotiates solutions to conflicts
- More independent
- Imagines that many unfamiliar images may be “monsters”
- Views self as a whole person involving body, mind, and feelings
- Often cannot tell the difference between fantasy and reality
Movement
- Hops and stands on one foot for up to five seconds
- Goes up and down stairs without support
- Kicks ball forward
- Throws ball overhand
- Catches bounced ball most of the time
- Moves forward and backward with agility
Hearing & Speech
- Has mastered some basic rules of grammar
- Speaks in sentences of five to six words
- Speaks clearly enough for strangers to understand
- Tells stories
Cognitive
- Correctly names some colors
- Understands the concept of counting and may know a few numbers
- Tries to solve problems from a single point of view
- Begins to have a clearer sense of time
- Follows three-part commands
- Recalls parts of a story
- Understands the concepts of same and different
- Engages in fantasy play
Hand & Finger Skills
- Copies square shapes, or draws circles and squares
- Draws a person with two to four body parts
- Uses scissors
- Begins to copy some capital letters
Possible Warning Signs of Autism
- Cannot throw a ball overhand, jump in place, or ride a tricycle
- Cannot grasp a crayon between thumb and fingers
- Has difficulty scribbling
- Cannot copy a circle
- Cannot stack four blocks
- Still clings or cries whenever parents leave
- Shows no interest in interactive games
- Ignores other children
- Doesn’t respond to people outside the family
- Doesn’t engage in fantasy play
- Resists dressing, sleeping, or using the toilet
- Lashes out without any self-control when angry or upset
- Doesn’t use sentences of more than three words
- Doesn’t use me and you correctly
- Experiences a dramatic loss of skills previously developed
At age five, children should want to be like their friends, and enjoy activities like singing, dancing, and acting. Most children should be able to count 10 or more objects, and have a better grasp of the concept of time. Most children can also tell longer stories and say their name or address. Hopping and somersaulting should be common, and children should be able to dress and undress without help, and use a fork and spoon.
Social & Emotional
- Wants to be like, and please, friends
- More likely to agree to rules
- Likes to sing, dance, and act
- Shows more independence and may even visit a next-door neighbor alone
- Aware of gender
- Able to distinguish fantasy from reality
- Sometimes demanding, sometimes eagerly cooperative
Movement
- Stands on one foot for 10 seconds or longer
- Hops, somersaults
- Swings, climbs
- May be able to skip
Hearing & Speech
- Recalls part of a story
- Speaks sentences of more than five words
- Uses future tense
- Tells longer stories
- Says name and address
Cognitive
- Can count 10 or more objects
- Correctly names at least four colors
- Better understands the concept of time
- Knows about everyday objects used at home (money, food, appliances)
Hand & Finger Skills
- Copies triangles and other shapes
- Draws a person with body
- Prints some letters
- Dresses and undresses without help
- Uses fork, spoon, and (sometimes) a table knife
- Usually cares for own toilet needs
Possible Warning Signs of Autism
- Acts extremely fearful, timid, or aggressive
- Cannot separate from parents without major protest
- Is easily distracted and unable to concentrate on any single activity for more than five minutes
- Shows little interest in playing with other children
- Refuses to respond to people in general, or responds only superficially
- Rarely uses fantasy or imitation in play
- Can’t tell the difference between fantasy and reality
- Seems unhappy or sad much of the time
- Doesn’t engage in a variety of activities
- Avoids or seems aloof with other children and adults
- Doesn’t express a wide range of emotions
- Seems unusually passive
- Has trouble eating, sleeping, or using the toilet
- Cannot understand two-part commands using prepositions (“Put the doll on the bed, and get the ball under the couch.”)
- Can’t correctly give first and last name
- Doesn’t use plurals or past tense properly when speaking
- Doesn’t talk about daily activities and experiences
- Cannot build a tower of six to eight blocks
- Seems uncomfortable holding a crayon
- Cannot dress, undress, brush teeth, or wash and dry hands
- Experiences a dramatic loss of skills previously developed
What Next?
If you notice that your child’s development seems delayed or exhibits many characteristics listed in the possible warning signs section for their age, alert your child’s doctor or nurse.
For more information about developmental milestones during the first five years of development, you can download our Developmental Milestone Guide, which contains additional signs of healthy and delayed development.
You can visit our Where to Start page to learn more about how Damar diagnoses and treats developmental disabilities, or visit Autism Speaks to view additional signs of autism.
Where To Start
Developmental Milestone FAQs
What are the earliest signs of autism or other developmental disabilities? Where can you go for an evaluation? How early can a diagnosis be made? We have answers to these questions and many others.
Get Answers
Questions?
Contact us to learn more how Damar diagnosis and treats developmental disabilities.
Contact Us
Developmental Milestones
While every child will develop at their own pace, there are certain milestones that parents and caregivers can identify. Learn more about what to look for, and what to do if you notice a delay or possible signs of autism.
What to expect during the first...
At three months, most children will be more expressive and social than they were as a newborn. They should begin to show a physical response to their surroundings and exert strength, like raising their head and chest. They may also pay closer attention to objects and faces, and start to babble pleasantly.
Social & Emotional
- Begins to develop a social smile
- Enjoys playing with others; may cry when playing stops
- Becomes more expressive
- Communicates more using the face and body
- Imitates some movements and facial expressions
Developmental Milestones
- Raises head and chest when lying on stomach
- Supports upper body with arms when lying on stomach
- Stretches out legs and kicks when lying on stomach or back
- Opens and shuts hands
- Pushes down on legs when feet are placed on a firm surface
- Brings hand to mouth
- Swipes at dangling objects with hands
- Grasps and shakes hand toys
Hearing & Speech
- Smiles at the sound of your voice
- Begins to babble
- Begins to imitate sounds
- Turns head toward direction of sound
Vision
- Watches faces intently
- Follows moving objects
- Recognizes familiar objects and people at a distance
- Starts using hands and eyes in coordination
Possible Warning Signs of Autism
- Doesn’t respond to loud noises
- Doesn’t notice hands by two months
- Doesn’t follow moving objects with eyes by two to three months
- Doesn’t grasp or hold objects, or reach for objects by three months
- Doesn’t smile at people by three months
- Cannot support their head by three months
- Doesn’t babble by three to four months
- Babbles, but without imitating your sounds by four months
- Doesn’t bring objects to mouth by four months
- Doesn’t push down with legs when feet are on a firm surface by four months
- Shows difficulty moving one or both eyes in all directions
- Crosses eyes most of the time (occasional eye crossing is normal in the first few months)
- Doesn’t pay attention to new faces, or seems very frightened by new faces or surroundings
- Experiences a dramatic loss of skills that were already developed
At seven months, children should begin to respond to others’ expressions and enjoy social play. They should become curious about their surroundings, respond to their name, and babble longer, fuller sentences. Children should reach for objects with one hand, learn to roll over, and support some weight on their legs. They should also be able to track moving objects with their eyes.
Social & Emotional
- Enjoys social play
- Interested in looking in the mirror
- Responds to others’ expressions of emotion and appears joyful often
Movement
- Rolls front to back and back to front
- Sits with and without support on hands
- Supports entire weight on legs
- Reaches with one hand
- Transfers objects from hand to hand
- Uses hand to rake objects
Hearing & Speech
- Responds to familiar words like no and their name
- Can understand emotions by tone of voice
- Responds to a sound by making sounds
- Uses voice to express joy and displeasure
- Babbles longer chains of sounds
Vision
- Develops full color vision
- Can see better at a distance
- Ability to track moving objects improves
Cognitive
- Finds partially hidden object
- Explores with hands and mouth
- Reaches for objects that are out of reach
Possible Warning Signs of Autism
- Seems very stiff, with tight muscles, or very weak, like a rag doll
- Head falls back when body is pulled to a sitting position
- Reaches with one hand only
- Refuses to cuddle, and shows no affection for parents and caregivers
- Doesn’t seem to enjoy being around people
- One or both eyes consistently turn in or out
- Persistent tears, eye drainage, or sensitivity to light
- Does not respond to or turn head to locate sounds
- Has difficulty getting objects to mouth
At one year, children should show a strong preference for parents and/or primary caregivers. They should be able to finger-feed themselves and imitate others during play. They should know how to use everyday objects correctly and respond to common words, like no, and say simple words like dada and mama. Most children at this age will crawl, reach a sitting position without help, and walk while holding onto furniture. Children should also be able to place objects in or remove objects from containers, and poke with an index finger.
Social & Emotional
- Becomes shy or anxious around strangers
- Cries when a parent leaves
- Enjoys imitating people in play
- Shows specific preferences for certain people and toys
- Tests parental responses to actions during feedings
- Tests parental responses to behavior
- May be fearful in some situations
- Prefers mother and/or regular caregiver over all others
- Repeats sounds or gestures for attention
- Can finger-feed some foods
- Extends arm or leg to help when being dressed
Movement
- Reaches sitting position without assistance
- Crawls forward on belly, creeps on hands and knees, and can assume hands-and-knees position
- Transitions from sitting to crawling or prone position
- Pulls self up to stand
- Walks holding on to furniture
- Stands momentarily without support
- May walk two or three steps without support
Hearing & Speech
- Increasingly pays attention to speech
- Responds to simple verbal requests, or to words like no
- Uses simple gestures, such as shaking head for no
- Babbles with inflection
- Tries to imitate words
- Says “dada” and “mama” or uses exclamations such as “uh-oh!”
Cognitive
- Explores objects in many different ways (shaking, banging, throwing, dropping)
- Finds hidden objects easily
- Looks at correct picture when the image is named
- Imitates gestures
- Begins to use objects correctly (drinking from cup, brushing hair, dialing phone, listening to receiver)
Hand & Finger Skills
- Uses pincer grasp
- Pokes with index finger
- Bangs two objects together
- Places objects in and removes from container
- Lets objects go voluntarily
- Tries to imitate scribbling
Possible Warning Signs of Autism
- Doesn’t crawl
- Drags one side of body while crawling (for over one month)
- Cannot stand upright when supported
- Doesn’t search for hidden objects
- Doesn’t say single words, like mama or dada
- Doesn’t learn to use gestures, such as waving or shaking head
- Doesn’t point to objects or pictures
- Shows a dramatic loss of skills that were already developed
At age two, children should imitate adults, enjoy other children, and demonstrate increasing independence. Children will play make-believe, recognize names of familiar people and objects, walk on their own, and be able to kick a ball. Children should also scribble on their own, build towers of four or more blocks, and possibly show a preference for one hand over the other.
Social & Emotional
- Imitates behavior of others, especially adults and older children
- More aware of oneself as separate from others
- More excited about company of other children
- Demonstrates increasing independence
- Begins to show defiant behavior
- Separation anxiety increases toward midyear then fades
Movement
- Walks alone
- Begins to run
- Walks up and down stairs holding on to support
- Stands on tiptoes
- Pulls toys, or carries a large toy while walking
- Kicks a ball
- Climbs onto and down from furniture unassisted
Hearing & Speech
- Points to object or picture when it’s named
- Recognizes names of familiar people, objects, and body parts
- Says several single words (by 15 to 18 months)
- Uses simple phrases (by 18 to 24 months)
- Uses two- to four-word sentences
- Follows simple instructions
- Repeats words overheard in conversation
Cognitive
- Finds objects even when hidden under two or three covers
- Begins to sort by shapes and colors
- Begins make-believe play
Hand & Finger Skills
- Scribbles on own
- Turns over container to pour out contents
- Builds tower of four blocks or more
- Might use one hand more often than the other
Possible Warning Signs of Autism
- Cannot walk by 18 months
- Fails to develop a mature heel-toe walking pattern after several months of walking, or walks only on toes
- Does not speak at least 15 words
- Does not use two-word sentences by age 2
- By 15 months, does not seem to know the function of common household objects (brush, telephone, bell, fork, spoon)
- Does not imitate actions or words by the end of this period
- Does not follow simple instructions by age 2
- Cannot push a wheeled toy by age 2
- Experiences a dramatic loss of skills previously developed
At age three, children should spontaneously show affection and express a wide range of emotions. They should be able to separate objects by shape and color, play make-believe with dolls and people, understand more complex commands, and speak in sentences of four to five words. Climbing, running, and bending over without falling should be easy at this age.
Social & Emotional
- Imitates adults and playmates
- Spontaneously shows affection for familiar playmates
- Expresses affection openly
- Can take turns in games
- Understands concept of mine v. theirs
- Expresses a wide range of emotions
- Separates easily from parents
- Objects to major changes in routine
Movement
- Climbs well
- Walks up and down stairs, alternating feet (one foot per stair step)
- Kicks ball runs easily
- Pedals tricycle
- Bends over easily without falling
Hearing & Speech
- Follows a two- or three-part command
- Recognizes and identifies almost all common objects and pictures
- Understands most sentences
- Understands object placement in space (on, in, under)
- Uses four- to five-word sentences
- Can say name, age, and sex
- Uses pronouns (I, you, me, we, they) and some plurals (cars, dogs, cats)
- Strangers can understand most of their words
Cognitive
- Makes mechanical toys work
- Matches an object in hand or room to a picture in a book
- Plays make-believe with dolls, animals, and people
- Sorts objects by shape and color
- Completes puzzles with three or four pieces
- Understands concept of “two”
Hand & Finger Skills
- Makes up-and-down, side-to-side, and circular lines with pencil or crayon
- Holds a pencil in writing position
- Turns pages in a book one at a time
- Builds a tower of more than six blocks
- Screws and unscrews jar lids, nuts, and bolts
- Turns rotating handles
Possible Warning Signs of Autism
- Frequent falling and difficulty with stairs
- Persistent drooling or very unclear speech
- Cannot build a tower of more than four blocks
- Difficulty manipulating small objects
- Cannot copy a circle by age 3
- Cannot communicate in short phrases
- No involvement in pretend play
- Does not understand simple instructions
- Little interest in other children
- Extreme difficulty separating from mother or primary caregiver
- Poor eye contact
- Limited interest in toys
- Experiences a dramatic loss of skills previously developed
At four years of age, most children should be interested in new experiences. Children should be able to dress and undress themselves, name some colors, use scissors, recall parts of a story, and speak in four- to five-word sentences. Playing with a ball—throwing, kicking, and catching—should be routine.
Social & Emotional
- Interested in new experiences
- Cooperates with other children
- Plays “Mom” or “Dad” during make-believe play
- Increasingly inventive in fantasy play
- Dresses and undresses
- Negotiates solutions to conflicts
- More independent
- Imagines that many unfamiliar images may be “monsters”
- Views self as a whole person involving body, mind, and feelings
- Often cannot tell the difference between fantasy and reality
Movement
- Hops and stands on one foot for up to five seconds
- Goes up and down stairs without support
- Kicks ball forward
- Throws ball overhand
- Catches bounced ball most of the time
- Moves forward and backward with agility
Hearing & Speech
- Has mastered some basic rules of grammar
- Speaks in sentences of five to six words
- Speaks clearly enough for strangers to understand
- Tells stories
Cognitive
- Correctly names some colors
- Understands the concept of counting and may know a few numbers
- Tries to solve problems from a single point of view
- Begins to have a clearer sense of time
- Follows three-part commands
- Recalls parts of a story
- Understands the concepts of same and different
- Engages in fantasy play
Hand & Finger Skills
- Copies square shapes, or draws circles and squares
- Draws a person with two to four body parts
- Uses scissors
- Begins to copy some capital letters
Possible Warning Signs of Autism
- Cannot throw a ball overhand, jump in place, or ride a tricycle
- Cannot grasp a crayon between thumb and fingers
- Has difficulty scribbling
- Cannot copy a circle
- Cannot stack four blocks
- Still clings or cries whenever parents leave
- Shows no interest in interactive games
- Ignores other children
- Doesn’t respond to people outside the family
- Doesn’t engage in fantasy play
- Resists dressing, sleeping, or using the toilet
- Lashes out without any self-control when angry or upset
- Doesn’t use sentences of more than three words
- Doesn’t use me and you correctly
- Experiences a dramatic loss of skills previously developed
At age five, children should want to be like their friends, and enjoy activities like singing, dancing, and acting. Most children should be able to count 10 or more objects, and have a better grasp of the concept of time. Most children can also tell longer stories and say their name or address. Hopping and somersaulting should be common, and children should be able to dress and undress without help, and use a fork and spoon.
Social & Emotional
- Wants to be like, and please, friends
- More likely to agree to rules
- Likes to sing, dance, and act
- Shows more independence and may even visit a next-door neighbor alone
- Aware of gender
- Able to distinguish fantasy from reality
- Sometimes demanding, sometimes eagerly cooperative
Movement
- Stands on one foot for 10 seconds or longer
- Hops, somersaults
- Swings, climbs
- May be able to skip
Hearing & Speech
- Recalls part of a story
- Speaks sentences of more than five words
- Uses future tense
- Tells longer stories
- Says name and address
Cognitive
- Can count 10 or more objects
- Correctly names at least four colors
- Better understands the concept of time
- Knows about everyday objects used at home (money, food, appliances)
Hand & Finger Skills
- Copies triangles and other shapes
- Draws a person with body
- Prints some letters
- Dresses and undresses without help
- Uses fork, spoon, and (sometimes) a table knife
- Usually cares for own toilet needs
Possible Warning Signs of Autism
- Acts extremely fearful, timid, or aggressive
- Cannot separate from parents without major protest
- Is easily distracted and unable to concentrate on any single activity for more than five minutes
- Shows little interest in playing with other children
- Refuses to respond to people in general, or responds only superficially
- Rarely uses fantasy or imitation in play
- Can’t tell the difference between fantasy and reality
- Seems unhappy or sad much of the time
- Doesn’t engage in a variety of activities
- Avoids or seems aloof with other children and adults
- Doesn’t express a wide range of emotions
- Seems unusually passive
- Has trouble eating, sleeping, or using the toilet
- Cannot understand two-part commands using prepositions (“Put the doll on the bed, and get the ball under the couch.”)
- Can’t correctly give first and last name
- Doesn’t use plurals or past tense properly when speaking
- Doesn’t talk about daily activities and experiences
- Cannot build a tower of six to eight blocks
- Seems uncomfortable holding a crayon
- Cannot dress, undress, brush teeth, or wash and dry hands
- Experiences a dramatic loss of skills previously developed
What Next?
If you notice that your child’s development seems delayed or exhibits many characteristics listed in the possible warning signs section for their age, alert your child’s doctor or nurse.
For more information about developmental milestones during the first five years of development, you can download our Developmental Milestone Guide, which contains additional signs of healthy and delayed development.
You can visit our Where to Start page to learn more about how Damar diagnoses and treats developmental disabilities, or visit Autism Speaks to view additional signs of autism.
Where To Start
Developmental Milestone FAQs
What are the earliest signs of autism or other developmental disabilities? Where can you go for an evaluation? How early can a diagnosis be made? We have answers to these questions and many others.
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Questions?
Contact us to learn more how Damar diagnosis and treats developmental disabilities.
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