Child Development at Eighteen Months

 

Posture & Large Movements

• Walks well with feet only slightly apart, starts and stops safely.
• Runs stifly upright, eyes fixed on ground 1–2 yards ahead, but cannot continue to run round obstacles.
• Pushes and pulls large toys, boxes, etc., round floor.
• Can carry large doll or teddy-bear while walking and sometimes two.
• Backs into small chair or slides in sideways.
• Climbs forward into adult’s chair then turns round and sits.
• Walks upstairs with helping hand.
• Creeps backwards down stairs.
• Occasionally bumps down a few steps on buttocks facing forwards.
• Picks up toy from floor without falling.

Vision & Fine Movements

• Picks up small sweets, beads, pins, threads, etc., immediately on sight, with delicate pincer grasp.
• Spontaneous scribble when given crayon and paper, using preferred hand.
• Builds tower of three cubes after demonstration.
• Enjoys simple picture book, often recognising and putting finger on coloured items on page.
• Turns pages 2 or 3 at a time. Fixes eyes on a small dangling toy up to 10 feet. (May tolerate this test with each eye separately.)
• Points to distant interesting objects out of doors.
• Watches and retrieves rolling balls 2–1/2 inches at 10 feet.
• Possibly recognises special miniature toys at 10 feet.

Hearing & Speach

• Continues to jabber tunefully to himself at play.
• Uses 6–20 recognisable words and understands many more.
• Echoes prominent or last word addressed to him.
• Demands desired objects by pointing accompanied by loud, urgent vocalisation or single words.
• Enjoys nursery rhymes and tries to join in. Attempts to sing.
• Shows his own or doll’s hair, shoe, nose (Possibly special 5 toy test. Possibly 4 animals picture test.)

Social Behaviour & Play

• Lifts and holds cup between both hands.
• Drinks without spilling.
• Hands cup back to adult. Choose well.
• Holds spoon and gets food to mouth. Takes off shoes, socks, hat.
• Indicates toilet needs by restlessness and vocalisation.
• Bowel control usually attained.
• Explores environment energetically.
• No longer takes toys to mouth.
• Remembers where objects belong.
• Casts objects to floor in play or anger less often.
• Briefly imitates simple activities, e.g. reading book, kissing doll, brushing floor.
• Plays contentedly alone, but likes to be near adult.
• Emotionally still very dependent upon familiar adult, especially mother.
• Alternates between clinging and resistance.

Source: Reports on Public Health and Medical Subjects No 102. HMSO 1960, revised 1975.