Healthy Development

The early years of a child’s life are very important for his or her health and
development. Healthy development means that children of all abilities,
including those with special health care needs, are able to grow up where
their social, emotional and educational needs are met. Having a safe and
loving home and spending time with family―playing, singing, reading, and
talking―are very important. Proper nutrition, exercise, and sleep also can
make a big difference.
Effective Parenting Practices
Parenting takes many different forms. However, some positive parenting
practices work well across diverse families and in diverse settings when
providing the care that children need to be happy and healthy, and to grow
and develop well. A recent report looked at the evidence in scientific
publications for what works, and found these key ways that parents can
support their child’s healthy development:
 Responding to children in a predictable way
 Showing warmth and sensitivity
 Having routines and household rules
 Sharing books and talking with children
 Supporting health and safety
 Using appropriate discipline without harshness
Parents who use these practices can help their child stay healthy, be safe,
and be successful in many areas—emotional, behavioral, cognitive, and
social. 
Developmental Milestones
Skills such as taking a first step, smiling for the first time, and waving “bye-
bye” are called developmental milestones. Children reach milestones in how
they play, learn, speak, behave, and move (for example, crawling and
walking).
Children develop at their own pace, so it’s impossible to tell exactly when a
child will learn a given skill. However, the developmental milestones give a
general idea of the changes to expect as a child gets older.
As a parent, you know your child best. If your child is not meeting the
milestones for his or her age, or if you think there could be a problem with
your child’s development, talk with your child’s doctor and share your
concerns. Don’t wait.
Parents, grandparents, early childhood providers, and other caregivers can
participate in developmental monitoring, which observes how your child grows
and changes over time and whether your child meets the typical
developmental milestones in playing, learning, speaking, behaving, and
moving.
Developmental screening takes a closer look at how your child is developing. A
missed milestone could be a sign of a problem, so when you take your child
to a well visit, the doctor, nurse, or another specialist might give your child a
brief test, or you will complete a questionnaire about your child.
If the screening tool identifies an area of concern, a formal developmental
evaluation may be needed, where a trained specialist takes an in-depth look
at a child’s development.
If a child has a developmental delay, it is important to get help as soon as
possible. When a developmental delay is not found early, children must wait
to get the help they need to do well in social and educational settings.
The term childhood mental disorder means all mental disorders that can be
diagnosed and begin in childhood (for example,
attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Tourette Syndrome, behavior
disorders, mood and anxiety disorders, autism spectrum disorders,
substance use disorders, etc.).