Children bring immense joy and happiness but also considerable concern and anxiety for parents. Ensuring the healthy development of a child involves not only fostering a strong immune system and balanced nutrition, but also closely monitoring the child’s motor (physical) development and knowing what to watch for to help them grow strong and healthy.

Many parents, especially first-time ones, seek advice and guidance from specialists on their child's proper and healthy development. Here are some signs that suggest consulting a physical therapist is recommended.

First Year of Life:

• "Preferred side" – the baby constantly or mostly turns their head or rests it on one side, leading to skull deformation. The baby rolls or sits up only from one "preferred" side or grabs toys with only one hand.

Physical therapist note: babies are not right- or left-handed; they should use both sides of their body equally for all movements.

• C-shaped trunk position – when placed on a hard surface, the baby cannot maintain a straight posture, with a noticeable curve on one side.

Such a lying position can indicate changes in muscle tone.

• Tummy time – the baby has weak arm support and cannot keep their arms under their chest or push up firmly. From the 2nd month, if lying on their stomach, they do not lift their head or can only spend a small part of the day lying on their stomach.

Extended tummy time is crucial for further developmental stages and learning new movements.

• Head control – by 3 months, the baby cannot hold their head steadily.
• Rolling – by 5 months, the baby does not initiate rolling from back to stomach. By 7 months, the baby cannot roll independently from back to stomach and from stomach to back.

This is an important developmental stage for preparing to sit.

• Sitting – by  8 months, the baby cannot sit independently while propped up on their hands. By 9 months, they cannot sit without propping their hands on the ground. 
• Crawling by 9 months, the baby cannot crawl independently using opposite limbs. They crawl using only one side of the body or without using one of their limbs.

Crawling is the foundation for the crawling-on-all-fours stage.

• All-fours position – by 10 months, the baby does not attempt to get into an all-fours position, and no uncoordinated crawling movements are observed.

This position is essential for learning how to stand properly with support.

• Crawling on all fours – by 11 months, the baby cannot crawl on all fours using opposite limbs in a coordinated manner.
• Standing, pulling up – by 11 months, the baby cannot stand up independently using support, stand steadily while holding onto something, or sit back down.
• Side-stepping while holding onto support – by 12 months, the baby cannot confidently walk sideways while holding onto furniture or a wall.

This stage is the foundation for independent walking.

• Independent standing – by 12 months, the child does not try to let go of support and stand on their own.

Only with solid balance will the child be able to take their first steps.

• Independent walking – by 18 months (1,5 years), the child is not walking independently.

12-month-old children are not required to walk on their own!

It's always easier to engage in prevention than to treat a problem later. Therefore, it is recommended to visit a physical therapist from the baby’s 2nd month of life at regular intervals or when questions arise about the child's motor development to learn how to perform movements correctly.