My son was born prematurely. Should I still use the developmental milestones chart that was in my new parent information packet?
That’s a good question – most people look at development based on the child’s actual age, but you need to consider what’s known as your child’s adjusted (or corrected) age until they are 18 months old. By that time, most children have caught up with their development. The easiest way to figure this out is to just think about how old they would be from their due date – that would be their adjusted age. Health professionals such as pediatricians, therapists, and educators have a more precise way to figure this out, but this easy way should work just fine. Remember that keeping your child’s adjusted age in mind when thinking about milestones such as rolling over, sitting up, first words, and even starting baby foods can make a big difference in how well they do!