What are the different cognitive developmental milestones in children? Why should parents know them?

Cognitive development refers to the evolution of the ability to think and understand. In a child, it starts with basic processes such as perceiving objects and events in the environment, and understanding and processing language.

Gradually, it reaches more advanced levels such as the formation of thought processes, which includes intelligence, language skills, reasoning power, decision-making and problem-solving skills, conceptualizing and planning, and memory.

It is important for parents to know about the normal course of cognitive development in children for two reasons:

• It helps them closely monitor the development of their children and plan activities to help them develop various skills.
• It helps them understand early on whether their children are suffering from developmental delay and seek early medical or therapeutic intervention. This makes it much easier to deal with issues than when the diagnosis is delayed.

Let's look at some key cognitive milestones that children are expected to achieve at various stages of their growth during the first six years.

0 to 3 months

Newborns become capable of surveying their surroundings soon after birth. Most infants possess the ability to concentrate on moving bodies and can follow them with their eyes.

3 to 6 months

During this time, babies start developing the power of perception

6 to 9 months

Babies by this age are capable of memorizing reactions and may repeat their actions to see whether their parents react in the same way every time they do it.

9 to 12 months

As babies approach their first birthday, they start speaking short words like 'mama' and 'papa'

12 to 18 months

Once children are more than a year old, the speed of their cognitive development increases.

18 months to 3 years

According to the theory suggested by Jean Piaget - a swiss psychologist, during the cognitive development period of the ages18 months to 3 years, children remain in the 'sensorimotor' stage. They also begin to seek more freedom, which can be challenging for their parents at times, especially when it comes to matters of safety.

3 to 6 years

Between the ages of 3 and 6, children have a self-centered view of the world around them. They need to be taught how to learn and memorize. This is also the age when they enter the preschool stage and develop social interaction skills such as playing and cooperating with other children of their own age.

It is normal for preschoolers to test the limits of their cognitive abilities, and they may start exhibiting negative behaviors such as talking back to adults, lying and bullying.

It is important for parents to be aware of cognitive milestones to spot any developmental delay or deviation in their children. This will enable them to seek assistance from experts early on and provide their child with the help necessary to catch up with his peers.

When to reach out to a doctor?

Parents should consult a developmental pediatrician if their baby

• does not exhibit a social smile after he is 2 months old
• does not respond to the sound of a rattle or his name being called by 5-6 months of age
• does not have stranger anxiety by the time he is 7-8 months old
• does not learn to identify body parts by the time he is 15 months old
• does not start talking even after he is 2 years old
• has problems understanding simple directions
• seems confused when asked to perform simple actions even at 3 years of age