2025 – PAGE 187 – DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES & ANTICIPATORY GUIDANCE
SURVEILLANCE MILESTONES – 9 MONTHS OF AGE
| AGE | LANGUAGE &
COMMUNICATION |
MOVEMENT & PHYSICAL | COGNITIVE | SOCIAL &
EMOTIONAL |
| 9 mo
“cat” |
Makes different vocalizations like “mamama” or “bababa” nonspecifically; raises arms to be carried | Gets in a seated position by themselves; sits without support; transfers objects from one hand to another; uses fingers as a rake for food | Looks for objects when they become out of sight; bangs objects together | Stranger anxiety; develops a variety of facial expressions to show emotions; turns to name; reacts when you disappear; enjoys playing peek-a-boo |
MNEMONIC: 9eek-a-boo
MNEMONIC STORY: 9 = a CAT with 9 lives! NINE-month-old infants are like CURIOUS LITTLE CATS. Imagine a 9-month-old baby being like a curious, yet scared, little CAT. Imagine this cat having STRANGER ANXIETY and being deathly afraid of PLAYING PEEK-A-BOO. She startles quickly and TURNS TO HER NAME when called. She says “Meow-Meow-Meow” NONSPECIFICALLY to her owners, like a baby says “BA-BA-BA” NONSPECIFICALLY to both mom and dad. Now imagine this black cat being scared of a 9-month-old baby boy who also lives in the home. The boy is SITTING WITHOUT SUPPORT on the floor after SEATING HIMSELF. He is quietly TRANSFERRING BLOCKS FROM ONE HAND TO ANOTHER, but the cat is scared because she knows the boy likes to BANG BLOCKS TOGETHER near the cat’s head. The boy accidentally drops the blocks, so the cat immediately paws at and RAKES one away before the boy can grab it. The boy LOOKS FOR THE OUT OF SIGHT BLOCKS, but quickly becomes bored and RAISES HIS ARMS TO BE CARRIED by his mom. The cat REACTS WHEN HE DISAPPEARS by SHOWING A VARIETY OF FACIAL EXPRESSIONS representing happiness, relief, and her usual look of fear.
9-MONTH-OLD MILESTONES TO KEEP ON YOUR RADAR
| AGE | LANGUAGE | GROSS MOTOR | FINE MOTOR | COGNITIVE | SOCIAL | RED FLAGS |
| 9 mo | Develops parachute reflex around 6–9 mo | No babbling |
IMAGE: (PARACHUTE REFLEX) www.pbrlinks.com/MILESTONES9MO
MNEMONIC: 9arachute reflex