Child Development includes all areas of development that children typically progress through.

Some examples of typical child development are:

• learning how to remove socks and shoes
• toileting
• playing with other children appropriately for their age
• self feeding: beginning with finger feeding and progressing to using spoon and fork to eat independently
• giving up the bottle and moving on to a regular cup to drink from
• managing buttons on clothing
• tying their own shoes
• building with manipulative toys like blocks, legos, shape sorters
• drawing and writing using age appropriate pencil grasp
• being able to cut using scissors

The examples listed above are only a fraction of the things children and kids learn as they grow and move through the developmental milestones. For children with special needs, these activities will likely also be a part of their development. However, in some cases, the child may progress through the milestones at a slower rate than children without special needs. It is also important to note, that all children are different, and even children without special needs may progress through some of their milestones at a different time than would be considered typical.

An Occupational Therapist can help guide parents through the progression of milestones. While the child may be delayed in getting through these milestones, the Occupational Therapist understands what comes next in the development process and can provide suggestions for ways to encourage the child to get to the next stage.