Milestones · 0–12 months

Your baby's first year

The first year is where communication begins, long before words arrive. Eye contact, babbling and gestures are the foundation everything else builds on.

No referral needed to chat · Most evaluations booked within a week

Woman in striped shirt sitting on exercise ball with toddler in navy polka dot outfit on a padded floor

Birth to 12 months

What most infants can do

Every baby gets there on their own schedule. These are the skills all five of our therapists watch for, grouped by month, so you can read straight down to your baby's age.

Speech Therapy

How children understand, use, and share language with others

Birth–3 months

Reacts to sounds and turns toward voices
Calms or smiles when you talk
Coos ("ooh," "aah") and makes different sounds when happy or upset

4–6 months

Giggles and laughs
Plays with vowel sounds, sometimes mixed with consonants ("ah-goo")
Blows raspberries and notices toys that make sounds

7–9 months

Looks at you when you call their name
Babbles long strings like "bababa" or "mamama"
Raises arms to be picked up and pauses when you say "no"

10–12 months

Points, waves, and shows or hands you things
Tries to copy sounds you make
Understands simple phrases like "go bye-bye"
Says one or two words, like "mama," "dada," "hi" or "bye"

About Speech Therapy

Occupational Therapy

Fine motor, sensory, self-care and play skills for everyday life

0–7 months

Brings hands to mouth
Holds a bottle
Looks at toys when holding them
Tolerates loud noises

7–12 months

Begins letting go of toys purposely
Bangs toys together at midline
Explores different textures
Uses hands to "rake" small objects
Transfers objects from hand to hand

About Occupational Therapy

Physical Therapy

Big movement, strength, balance and coordination

0–3 months

Grasp is reflexive
Turns head to both sides while on back
Visually tracks objects
Tummy time toleration, attempts to lift head

3–5 months

Holds head up when in sitting
Rolls front to back
Head control when held in sitting
Grasp is purposeful, brings objects to mouth

6–9 months

Sits without support
Rolls back to front
Bears weight on legs when supported
Transfers objects hand to hand
Feet to mouth

10–12 months

Crawls on hands and knees
Pulls to stand
Cruises along furniture
Stands unsupported

About Physical Therapy

Feeding Therapy

Chewing, swallowing, textures and calmer mealtimes

0–6 months

Latches and feeds comfortably at breast or bottle
Coordinates suck, swallow and breathe without coughing or gulping
Brings hands and safe toys to their mouth for exploration
Settles and stays calm through a feed

6–9 months

Shows interest in food and opens mouth for a spoon (about 6 months)
Moves from smooth purees to soft lumps without gagging
Begins to close lips around the spoon and pull food off
Brings hands and safe toys to their mouth for exploration

9–12 months

Manages soft lumps and early finger foods without gagging
Drinks from an open cup with help (about 9–12 months)
Begins to pick up small pieces of food and bring them to the mouth
Chews soft table foods, even without many teeth

About Feeding Therapy

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy

Where the tongue, lips and jaw rest and how they move

Under 4

Thumb sucking, finger sucking and pacifier use are normal at this age
Mouth breathing during a cold, or while teething, is expected
The tongue rests forward in the mouth in infancy and settles back over the first years
This is the age we watch rather than treat — habits that stop on their own need nothing
If your dentist or pediatrician raises a concern early, we're happy to talk it through

About Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy

A note from our therapists: infants who were born early, had a NICU stay, or are working on feeding often reach these later; that's expected, and it isn't a reason to worry. It is a reason to ask.

These are general guidelines, not a diagnosis. Infants learn on a wide range of timelines: a baby who is a little behind on one skill is often right on track.

Communication milestones are adapted from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Gross motor and occupational therapy milestones are adapted from the clinic's own handouts. Each range shows when about 3 out of 4 children have the skill, so it’s normal for some children to reach it a little later. Look at the age ranges just before and after your child’s age too.

Worth a closer look

Trusting your gut is never overreacting.

In the first year, these are the patterns our therapists would want to hear about. None of them mean something is wrong. They just mean it's a good time to ask.

Early support in the first year is some of the most powerful work we do, because so much of the brain's wiring is still being laid down.

If any of this sounds familiar, ask us about it.

Signs to mention in the first year

Doesn't react to sounds or turn toward voices
Not babbling by about 9 months
Doesn't respond to their name by about 9 months
Not pointing, waving or using gestures by 12 months

If you have any concerns about how your baby hears, ask your pediatrician about a hearing check, hearing is the foundation for speech.

Who helps at this age

Speech therapy Feeding therapy Physical therapy

Looking further ahead?

Milestones at every age

The first year goes quickly. When you're ready, here's what comes next, or see the whole picture on one page.

Infants

0–12 months

First sounds, first rolls

You are here

Toddlers

1–3 years

First words take off

View milestones

Preschoolers

3–5 years

Being understood by others

View milestones

School age

5–13 years

Skills that carry into class

View milestones

See all ages on one page

Most evaluations booked within a week

Their next milestone is closer than you think.

Call, text or send us a message and you'll talk with our office manager about what you're seeing and what support would look like, before anything is scheduled.