The early years of a child’s life see the acquisition of the most exciting and challenging range of skills. For parents, however, this time can also be unpredicatable and confusing. Constant comparison between your child and his peers can be unhelpful and misleading. For the first time, Dr Dorothy Einon has compiled a series of tests to tell you which skills the average baby will have acquired at a certain age, and give you a clearer idea of the development to expect in the future – helping you to understand how to encourage and stimulate development.
Dr Einon begins by looking at physical and mental development in the early years – these tests, rather than determining intelligence, tell you what the average baby or toddler can do at certain ages. The second chapter examines cognitive skills – learning memory and thinking – and the third chapter looks at language skills. Later chapters address your child’s knowledge of himself and others, his independence and your own parenting skills. The book tackles the dangers of hothousing children, and provides advice on practical and gentle ways in which you can help your child to progress. It is set to become a standard for all parents and a reassuring presence in any child’s development.
SAMPLE QUESTIONS from The Toddler Development Test: 12-18 months
1. Can your child clap his hands, wave bye-bye and indicate he wants to be lifted up?
a) None of these
b) One of these
c) Two or more of these
2. Can your child
a) Put an object into a container?
b) Build a tower of two cubes?
c) Build a tower of three cubes?
3. Can your child
a) Imitate an action you show him?
b) ‘Brum’ a car?
c) Feed a doll?
4. Can your child
a) Put together an action and a sound (for example, point and say ‘Woof Woof’)?
b) Put together an action and a word (point and say ‘Bus’)?
c) Put together two words?
5. Can your child
a) Hold, bite and chew a biscuit?
b) Feed himself with a spoon – spilling a lot?
c) Feed himself with a spoon – spilling very little?
Interpreting the scores
- The average 12-month-old will not be able to do everything here, but should be able to get an ‘a’ for the majority of questions. The may even get the occasional ‘b’ but probably not any ‘c’ scores
- The average 15-month-old should be getting more ‘b’ scores
- The average 18-month-old is expected to gain mostly ‘b’s with some ‘c’ scores
Dr Dorothy Einon is a lecturer in Pyschology at University College London. She appears regularly on radio and television.
Published by Vermilion, 7th September 2006, £7.99 Buy the book now at
www.rbooks.co.uk
