Summary Recap
In a Nutshell...Your Toddler at 24 Months Old
Your little baby has become a toddler, and with that, her language skills are blooming and she's becoming more and more independent. She's running and climbing as well as drawing and doing other fine motor tasks.
Many people have heard of autism, but don't have a good idea of what it is. Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are characterized by communication and social difficulties and certain behaviors, such as not making eye contact, not responding to her name, or not sharing affection. Symptoms can appear as early as six months, and the earlier the detection the more effective the treatment and the better the long term outcomes for the child. However, because many children are not diagnosed until they are older than four years old, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is recommending screenings at 18 and 24 months of age.
While your child can master each developmental milestone within a varying range of normal, be sure to look out for any major developmental red flags that she may exhibit by the time she reaches 24 months. If you notice any of the following traits or behaviors, you should speak to your care provider about your concerns as soon as possible.
Social Emotional Development:
- Doesn't follow simple instructions.
Language Development:
- Doesn't use two-word sentences or phrases (e.g. "more milk," "my baby").
Physical Development:
- Fails to develop a mature heel-toe walking pattern after several months of walking, or walks exclusively on her toes.
- Can't walk steadily.
- Can't push or pull a wheeled toy.
Cognitive Development:
- Doesn't copy actions or words of others.
- Loses skills she once had.
To review and check out all of her achievements to date, click on her 18-24 month old developmental milestone list.