Most parents want to know if their baby or toddler is developing ‘normally’. The following is a basic guide as to what you might expect for the first three years of life (often called developmental milestones). Each heading gives an idea about what a baby or child will usually do at that age. There will be individual differences, and the differences in the way you care for your child can sometimes have an effect on what your child does.

If you are worried that your child seems ‘out of step’ with others of the same age, talk with a child health nurse or a doctor. Another opinion will help to either reassure you or enable you to get help early. 

Most parents want to know if their baby or toddler is developing ‘normally’. The following is a basic guide as to what you might expect for the first three years of life (often called developmental milestones). Each heading gives an idea about what a baby or child will usually do at that age. There will be individual differences, and the differences in the way you care for your child can sometimes have an effect on what your child does.

If you are worried that your child seems ‘out of step’ with others of the same age, talk with a child health nurse or a doctor. Another opinion will help to either reassure you or enable you to get help early. 

Most parents want to know if their baby or toddler is developing ‘normally’. The following is a basic guide as to what you might expect for the first three years of life (often called developmental milestones). Each heading gives an idea about what a baby or child will usually do at that age. There will be individual differences, and the differences in the way you care for your child can sometimes have an effect on what your child does.

If you are worried that your child seems ‘out of step’ with others of the same age, talk with a child health nurse or a doctor. Another opinion will help to either reassure you or enable you to get help early.

Teething refers to the eruption of the deciduous and permanent teeth. It is a natural occurrence and can happen without any problems. However, some children may feel discomfort before their first tooth erupts (at about six months) and may continue to experience this discomfort with every one of their 20 baby teeth.

Years ago, pertussis (whooping cough), diphtheria and tetanus were amongst the killer diseases of childhood. Today, we have vaccines available to protect children against these and a number of other diseases.

A fever is when the body’s temperature is higher than normal. Humans usually have a body temperature within a very narrow range. Normally a child has a fever when their temperature is over 37.5ºC.

Asthma is a condition that affects the airways – the small tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs. People with asthma have airways that are almost always sensitive and inflamed and when someone with asthma comes into contact with an asthma trigger, the muscles around the walls of the airways tighten, narrowing the airway and making it harder to breathe. Often sticky mucus or phlegm is produced.

Wetting the bed at night (nocturnal enuresis) is very common in young children. In fact, it is normal up to the age of five years.

In Australia, drowning is the leading cause of death for children under the age of five. Pools are an obvious risk, but children can also drown in baths, spas, dams, rivers, creeks, garden ponds and even nappy buckets. It takes as little as 5cm of water and an unsupervised child for a drowning to occur.

Many people have first aid kits containing a variety of items that they believe to be suitable for their first aid needs. In addition, there are numerous first aid kits available in the marketplace.