Last month, the CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics made adjustments to childhood developmental milestones guidelines for the first time in over a decade.

The checklist of developmental milestones for infants and young children aims to give parents, doctors and caregivers clearer benchmarks for when children are capable of certain behaviors and achievements at specified ages, as well as make it easier to identify developmental delays like autism or other social-communication disabilities while early intervention can still make a significant impact.

In the past, these milestones were created based on what research shows about 50% of children in a population could be expected to achieve by that age. Recent updates, however, included modifying the milestone benchmarks to reflect the skills/behaviors that research shows 75% of children at that age typically exhibit. This specific change came in response to clinicians asserting that following the 50th percentile guidelines often disadvantaged families worried when their children didn’t meet those developmental expectations.

Other updates include:

• Crawling milestone removed from milestones checklist

• Walking expectations pushed from 12 months to 18 months

• Talking expectations pushed from 12 months to 15 months

• Milestones checklists added for ages 15 and 30 months

• There is now a checklist for every well-child visit from 2 months to 5 years of age

• Identifying additional social and emotional milestones, like when an infant should start smiling on their own to get an adult’s attention

• Providing clinicians with recommendations for open-ended questions to use when talking to families about their children

• Revising and expanding tips and activities for promoting child development and health.

The changes have been met with mixed thoughts and a bit of skepticism online, though. Some have expressed fears that the guideline changes could delay services for kids that really need it, while others suggest the updates were put in place to conceal delays in child-development related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speech Pathologist Rachel Dawson she believes the adjustments are in part due to the pandemic and wearing masks, but stressed that lifestyle changes onset by the pandemic aren’t fair enough reason to push milestones adjustments several months out.

“That’s half the school year,” said Dawson of the updated language and speech milestone guidelines. “The long-term effects are wild.”

Dawson also said she thought it was strange the organization didn’t tap on professionals in her industry for input on the decision, and she wasn’t alone in her sentiment.

“…They should have involved professionals who have expertise in these matters first before releasing new guidelines,” said Registered Behavior Technician Ky Zenobia.

Zenobia said these developmental milestones are an intricate part of how professionals in her industry create programs for children.

“It’s just adding more layers of doubt for parents,” said Zenobia. “This changes a lot of previous research and other assessments we are currently using.”

Online, other moms voiced concerns that many children will fall through the cracks due to the changes.

“Even before the change, it was difficult to get kids in early intervention programs without being very delayed,” said one *Facebook User. “This impacts the uninsured and underinsured significantly.”

Another mom voiced concerns about the updated checklists.

”As a stay at home mom, I always wonder what my daughters milestones will be like compared to those who are in day care,” said Dani Schwamborn. “And honestly at the end of the day, each child will move at their own pace!!!…This is definitely going to allow educators to “exempt” a child’s actual needs for help. A child’s development should never change, ever. What IS changing is the parenting and education protocols.”

To help parents and caretakers track childrens’ milestones from age 2 months to 5 years, the CDC offers their free Milestone Tracker App, complete with easy-to-use illustrated checklists and tips for encouraging your child’s development in play, learning, speaking and movement. Click HERE to learn more about the app and how to download it to your device for free.

Sources:

PolitiFact | CDC.gov | Washington Post | AAP

*Individual quoted has asked to remain anonymous