AGES: 1 through 3 years

THEORY
Jean Piaget (cognitive development) -- Late sensorimotor stage includes rudimentary
thought including, permanence of objects and people, following visual (then
later, invisible) displacement of objects, and early use of instruments or tools.

Erik H. Erikson (personal-social development) -- The stage is Autonomy vs. Shame or Doubt as the child learns to adjust to society's demands while trying to maintain autonomy, a sense of self.

These milestones are typicial of children in the toddler stages. Some variation
is normal. If you have questions about your child's development, contact your
health care provider.

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

• gross motor development milestones
• able to stand alone well by 12 months
• can stoop over, pick up something, and recover to standing
• usually walking well by 12 to 14 months
• once walking well, learns to walk backwards and up steps
• able to kick ball forward at about 16 to 18 months
• able to throw ball overhand at about 18 to 24 months
• may jump in place by about 24 months

FINE MOTOR DEVELOPMENT

• begins to scribble by about 15 months
• can place a block in a cup and begin to stack blocks by about that age as well

LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

• uses 2-3 words (other than Mama or Dada) at 12 to 15 months
• combines 2 words at 16 to 20 months
• able to point to named body parts at 18 to 24 months
• able to name pictures of items and animals at 18 to 24 months
• beginning ability to state name at 22 to 24 months

BEHAVIOR
Toddlers are constantly striving for more independence. This creates not only
special safety concerns, but also discipline challenges. The child has to be
taught, in a consistent manner, the limits of appropriate vs. inappropriate
behavior.

Frustration and anger frequently erupt in the toddler embarking upon
activities for which he/she has not developed adequate skills to assure success.
Breath holding, crying, screaming, and the temper tantrums may be daily
occurrences.

It is important for the child to learn from experiences and be able
to rely upon solid, consistent boundaries defining acceptable and unacceptable
behaviors.

SAFETY
Toddler safety is very important.

• It is important for parents to recognize that the child can now walk, run,
  climb, jump, and explore wherever the environment is unrestricted. This new
  stage of mobility makes "child proofing" the home essential. Window guards,
  gates on stairways, cabinet locks, toilet seat locks, and other safety features
  are absolutely essential.
• As during the infancy period, the toddler should be placed in a safety
  restraint (toddler car seat) whenever he/she rides in a car.
• Do not leave a toddler unattended for even short periods of time. Remember,
  more accidents occur during toddler years than any other stage of childhood.
• Rules specific to not playing in streets or crossing without adults should be
  introduced and strictly adhered to.
• Falls are an important source of injury. Keep gates or doors closed to
  stairways and use guards for all windows above the ground floor. Do not leave chairs or ladders in areas likely to entice the toddler into climbing up to
  explore new areas. Use corner guards on furniture in areas where the toddler is likely to walk, play, or run.
• Childhood poisonings are a frequent source of morbidity and mortality during
  the toddler ages. Keep all medications in a locked cabinet. Keep all toxic
  household products (polishes, acids, cleaning solutions, chlorox, lighter fluid,
  insecticides, rat or roach poisons, etc.) in a locked cabinet or closet. Many
  household plants can cause illness if ingested, and "toad stools" and other
  garden plants can cause serious illness or death. Obtain a list of these common
  plants from your pediatrician.
• If a family member owns a firearm, make sure it is unloaded and securely
  locked up in a secure place.
• When cooking, toddlers should be restricted from the kitchen with a safety
  gate or placed in a playpen or high chair to eliminate the danger of burns by
  pulling hot foods off the stove or bumping into the hot oven door.
• Toddlers love to play in water, but should never be allowed to do so alone. A
  toddler may drown even in shallow water in a bathtub. It may be a good age to initiate swimming lessons, but knowing how to swim does not eliminate the need for supervised water-play at this age.

PARENTING TIPS

• The toddler years are the time to begin instilling values, reasoning, and
  incentives in the child to conform to accepted rules of behavior. It is
  important for parents to be consistent both in modeling behavior and in
  addressing appropriate vs. inappropriate behavior in the child. Positive
  behavior should be both recognized and rewarded. Time-out may be initiated for negative behavior or exceeding established limits.
• The toddler's favorite word may appear to be "NO!!!" It is important for
  parents not to follow into a pattern of negative behavior with yelling,
  spanking, and threatening of their own.
• Teach children names of body parts.
• Stress unique, individual qualities of the child.
• Teach concepts of please, thank you, and sharing with others.
• If not already reading to the child on a regular basis, this is a good time to
  start -- it will enhance the development of verbal skills.