“Learn the Signs. Act Early.” Developmental Milestones Revised for the First Time in Decades

By Teresa Anderson, Director of Public Policy, The Arc-UCP California Collaborative

The “Learn the Signs. Act Early” program offers a parent-friendly milestone checklist that makes it easier for parent to understand and monitor their child’s developmental progress. The program aims to improve early identification of children with autism and other developmental disabilities so children and families can get the services and supports they need. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) first launched the program in 2004 and the milestones checklist has remained the same since then. Last week the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) announced an updated developmental milestones checklist that differs substantially from the 2004 checklist. The reason for the change is so that it will make it easier for parents, families, child-care providers, etc. to recognize, and hopefully earlier, if a child may be at risk for a developmental delay.

The revised developmental milestones are written in family-friendly language and identify the behaviors that 75% or more (previously 50%) of children can be expected to exhibit at a certain age based on data, developmental resources and clinician experience. Other changes to the guidance include:

Adding checklists for ages 15 and 30 months; now there is a checklist for every well-child visit from 2 months to 5 years.
Identifying additional social and emotional milestones (e.g., Smiles on their own to get your attention, age 4 months).
Removing vague language like “may” or “begins” when referring to certain milestones.
Removing duplicate milestones.
Providing new, open-ended questions to use in discussion with families (e.g., Is there anything that your child does or does not do that concerns you?).
Revising and expanding tips and activities for developmental promotion and early relational health.

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