Your 1-year-old : 1 year checkup

Your 1-year-old: 1 year checkup

First steps now…or later

Many children take their first steps sometime between 9 and 12 months and are walking well by the time they're 14 or 15 months old. But don't worry if your child hasn't let go of the coffee table yet. It's also perfectly normal for kids not to take that first step until they're 15 or 16 months, or even later. (Learn more about when kids walk.)

Encourage both cruising and walking by giving your child lots of opportunities to move without help and by not picking him up and carrying him too often. You can encourage a tentative walker by arranging furniture so there are safe and convenient handholds all along his path. Remove any dangers he might grab on to, such as a dangling tablecloth or electrical cord.

If your child is trying to toddle, he might feel more secure if he can hang on to one of your fingers, or if he puts his hands in the air and you walk behind him, holding his hands. A push toy provides walking practice, too. Just make sure it's stable and has a wide, secure base.

Two walking aids you don't need: walkers (the American Academy of Pediatrics says they're unsafe and actually discourage kids from learning to walk) and shoes in the house. Bare feet, socks, or the popular soft-bottomed "baby shoes" help a beginning walker practice balance and coordination. Reserve real shoes for protecting your toddlers' feet outdoors.

Checkup checklist

You can prepare for your child's 12-month checkup by anticipating some of the questions the doctor is likely to ask, such as these:


Sleep: How much is your child sleeping at night and during naps?


Eating: What kinds of solid food is your child eating? How's his appetite? Does he enjoy feeding himself finger foods?

Teeth: How many teeth has your child cut?

Developmental skills: Is your child crawling well? Pulling up? Cruising or walking? Pointing? Making eye contact and responding to his name?

Vision: Have you noticed frequent squinting or eye rubbing, or a tendency to hold toys and books close to his face? (Read about other signs of a vision problem.)

Hearing: Does your child turn toward sounds? (Learn other signs of a hearing problem.)

Speech: Does your child imitate sounds, babble, or say any words?

Posted in: Toddler : 1 year old