As the pandemic continues, studies are getting published about how pandemic babies and toddlers seem to have developmental delays than babies and toddlers from previous years. As parents and caregivers struggle to provide support and help this generation cope and catch up, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released an updated Developmental Milestones.

If you are a parent or caregiver, these developmental milestones are an important indicator of how a baby or toddler is faring and developing. Read on to learn more about what these new changes are.

New checklist for developmental milestones for 15 month-old and 30-month old children.

For children 15-months old, expect the child to copy how other children play and show affection like hugging, kissing, or cuddling with you. Linguistically, this is also the time when a child learns how to speak simple words like “mama” or “dada.” Children following the normal developmental pattern will also try to already feed themselves food using their fingers.

For 30-month old or 2.5 year-olds, they will now have the ability to play with other children or next to them. They also have also established a sense of self, referring to his/her person as “I” or “me.” They can recognize colors and follow simple instructions such as putting their toys down and closing the door. They are also more inquisitive and experimental at this age, turning door knobs that they can reach. They can also undress themselves off easier pieces of clothing like a hat, or pants.

30 months is also a time for a general developmental screening to see and track how the child is faring against peers and developmental milestones.

Instead of just 50%, the CDC considered an activity a milestone for a certain age only when 75% of children are able to accomplish the milestone listed.

With more than a majority of the children in the age cohort able to do the milestones, this provides parents, caregivers and the children’s doctors a much stronger basis upon which to judge whether a child is developing normally or experiencing developmental delays. With 75% of children able to perform the activities, there’s expected to be a lessening of a wait-and-see approach. This also gives parents and doctors more time to screen the child and address any developmental concerns.

Vague terms were removed to provide parents, doctors and caregivers a more concrete definition of developmental milestones to be observed.

Terms such as “may”, “can” and “begins” were removed to completely abolish any doubt about whether a child in a certain age can perform the milestone. Along with the 75% majority of children in the age group, this gives everyone a definite and solid definition of the activities that a child is able to perform.

As if an answer to the recent issue of developmental delays occurring in pandemic babies, CDC hopes this updated milestone checklist will better equip parents and caregivers with the knowledge on what to look for in their children when it comes to normal progress and development.

You can download the updated checklist here.