CDC Updates Child Developmental Milestones

The CDC updated its developmental milestones for infants and young children for the first time in nearly two decades. The change will help make it easier for parents and physicians to identify delays that could be a sign of social-communication disabilities. The guidance was adjusted by age to account for societal changes. Experts hope the change allows parents to “learn the signs and act early” instead of waiting until the delays become more apparent. The updates, made with the American Academy of Pediatrics, are designed to give clearer benchmarks for when children do things like acting shy around strangers, typically at six months, clapping when excited at about 15 months and engaging in pretend play near four years.